Fallout after SCOTUS guts Voting Rights Act

A recent Supreme Court ruling on voting rights is shaking the political landscape ahead of the midterms. 

In a 6-3 decision, the conservative justices stuck down a Louisiana congressional map that included two majority-Black districts and ruled that race-conscious minority-majority districts were unconstitutional.

Critics of the decision say it will lead to fewer minority candidates, less Black representation, and guts essential protections in the Voting Rights Act. 

The consequences are already being felt as the ruling has led to calls for states to redraw their congressional maps, many of them with Republican-controlled legislatures. Last year, President Donald Trump started the flurry of redistricting when he called on Texas to redraw its map, in hopes of gaining five more seats in congress. Blue states followed suit, and some analysts say the latest decision could lead to an era of constant, maximum gerrymanders, especially in states of one party rule.

So what’s next and what does it mean for voting rights? 

Guests:

• Hansi Lo Wang, NPR correspondent covering elections
• Nick Corasaniti, New York Times national political reporter covering voting and elections