Reveal How Redistricting Is Upending America’s Midterms
May 13, 2026
Tim Murphy, a Mother Jones national correspondent who covers national politics and redistricting. He discusses the Supreme Court ruling that reshaped the Voting Rights Act and the GOP scramble to redraw maps. He outlines how Southern legislatures may erase Black opportunity districts. He also covers Virginia’s court reversal and the wider repercussions for November’s midterms.
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Court Ruling Sparked Rapid Southern Redistricting
- The Supreme Court's narrowing of the Voting Rights Act invited Southern states to redraw maps to eliminate Black opportunity districts.
- Tim Murphy says this quickly enabled GOP legislatures to erase majority-Black seats in states like Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee.
GOP Uses Fast Legislative Redraws To Gain Edge
- Republicans are redrawing maps quickly by fiat while Democrats often put maps to referenda for voter approval.
- Murphy notes Republican legislatures in places like Texas simply replace maps to gain advantage without broad popular buy-in.
Court Decision Triggered Immediate Election Disruptions
- Louisiana canceled a primary and rushed new maps after a court ruling, illustrating fast-moving post-decision chaos.
- Murphy notes governors and legislatures moved rapidly to redraw maps in response, affecting specific districts and primaries.