Kamala Harris, the former vice president of the United States, has strongly criticized the Supreme Court’s recent decision that permits states to redraw Black-majority congressional districts. She argues that this ruling allows Republicans to "cheat" in the upcoming midterm elections by undermining the voting power of Black communities.
Harris expressed her concerns during a call with the nonprofit organization Emerge on Wednesday. She stated, “What they have done with this decision, by saying that the politics of redistricting is OK, is they are back-dooring racism through politics.” She emphasized that the court's decision enables intentional suppression of voices from marginalized communities.
The decision came in the case of Louisiana v. Callais, which dealt a significant blow to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The ruling requires voters who claim to be hindered or prohibited from voting due to race to prove they were victims of "intentional discrimination."
During her conversation with Emerge, Harris also discussed the possibility of reforming the Supreme Court, including the idea of expanding its membership. This suggestion has been raised by Democrats following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020, which led to the appointment of a third conservative justice and shifted the court's balance.
Harris highlighted several other issues, such as the need for statehood for Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., and the potential reforms to the Electoral College. She stressed the importance of countering what she calls "red-state cheating," emphasizing the need for a strong response to the strategies employed by the opposing party.
In response to the Callais ruling, Republican-led states in the South—many of which have at least one majority-Black district—quickly worked to redraw maps in favor of the GOP before the midterms. For example, Tennessee eliminated its only Black-majority district in central Memphis, splitting it into three separate districts. This move diluted the political influence of Black voters in areas that lean Republican.
Similar efforts are underway in other Southern states like Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Harris described the Supreme Court's decision in Callais as part of a broader GOP strategy to "cheat" in the upcoming midterms, where some states are already redrawing their electoral boundaries.
As a potential presidential candidate for 2028, Harris noted that voters are paying close attention to the actions of Republican officials as they draft new election rules. She pointed out that people are focused on issues such as gas prices, an unwanted war, rising inflation, and increasing unemployment.
Republicans, she argued, are using a long-term agenda to make elections more difficult, particularly for those who are less likely to support them. “They are afraid of the power of the people,” she said.
Harris’ comments have drawn immediate criticism from Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who accused her and Democratic leaders of being “institutional arsonists.” He called her remarks a dangerous move, stating, “You don't just blow up the system when you lose.”
Johnson added, “For the former vice president of the United States and a candidate for president to suggest that you should pack the Supreme Court or destroy these institutions because they lost is I just think outrageous.”
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