Heather Cox Richardson 10/15/25
WITH REMOVAL OF VOTERS RIGHTS , THE CONFEDERACY COULD RISE
AGAIN KEEPING REPUBLICANS IN CONTROL REFLECTING THE U.S.
1874-1965
That the Supreme Court appears to be taking aim at a constitutional
amendment added to the Constitution during Reconstruction is a little
too on-the-nose. When the federal government stopped enforcing the
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, former Confederates took
control of their states and instituted a one-party region that lasted
until the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Today, Nate Cohn of the New York Times explained that striking down
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could eliminate more than a dozen
districts in the South currently held by Democrats. Republicans could
win virtually uncontested control of the South and so could control the
House of Representatives even if they lost the popular vote by a
significant margin. Cohn writes that Democrats would need to win the
popular vote by between five to six points in order to win the House if
the court strikes down Section 2.

But, since gerrymandering depresses turnout of the losing party's
voters, Republicans would appear to hold the country even more
firmly, making the United States as a whole reflect the American
South from about 1874 to 1965.
Heather Cox Richardson 10/15/25 WITH REMOVAL OF VOTERS RIGHTS , THE CONFEDERACY COULD RISE AGAIN KEEPING REPUBLICANS IN CONTROL REFLECTING THE U.S. 1874-1965 That the Supreme Court appears to be taking aim at a constitutional amendment added to the Constitution during Reconstruction is a little too on-the-nose. When the federal government stopped enforcing the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, former Confederates took control of their states and instituted a one-party region that lasted until the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Today, Nate Cohn of the New York Times explained that striking down Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could eliminate more than a dozen districts in the South currently held by Democrats. Republicans could win virtually uncontested control of the South and so could control the House of Representatives even if they lost the popular vote by a significant margin. Cohn writes that Democrats would need to win the popular vote by between five to six points in order to win the House if the court strikes down Section 2. But, since gerrymandering depresses turnout of the losing party's voters, Republicans would appear to hold the country even more firmly, making the United States as a whole reflect the American South from about 1874 to 1965.
Heather Cox Richardson 10/15/25
WITH REMOVAL OF VOTERS RIGHTS , THE CONFEDERACY COULD RISE
AGAIN KEEPING REPUBLICANS IN CONTROL REFLECTING THE U.S.
1874-1965
That the Supreme Court appears to be taking aim at a constitutional
amendment added to the Constitution during Reconstruction is a little
too on-the-nose. When the federal government stopped enforcing the
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, former Confederates took
control of their states and instituted a one-party region that lasted
until the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Today, Nate Cohn of the New York Times explained that striking down
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could eliminate more than a dozen
districts in the South currently held by Democrats. Republicans could
win virtually uncontested control of the South and so could control the
House of Representatives even if they lost the popular vote by a
significant margin. Cohn writes that Democrats would need to win the
popular vote by between five to six points in order to win the House if
the court strikes down Section 2.

But, since gerrymandering depresses turnout of the losing party's
voters, Republicans would appear to hold the country even more
firmly, making the United States as a whole reflect the American
South from about 1874 to 1965.
Heather Cox Richardson 10/15/25 WITH REMOVAL OF VOTERS RIGHTS , THE CONFEDERACY COULD RISE AGAIN KEEPING REPUBLICANS IN CONTROL REFLECTING THE U.S. 1874-1965 That the Supreme Court appears to be taking aim at a constitutional amendment added to the Constitution during Reconstruction is a little too on-the-nose. When the federal government stopped enforcing the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, former Confederates took control of their states and instituted a one-party region that lasted until the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Today, Nate Cohn of the New York Times explained that striking down Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could eliminate more than a dozen districts in the South currently held by Democrats. Republicans could win virtually uncontested control of the South and so could control the House of Representatives even if they lost the popular vote by a significant margin. Cohn writes that Democrats would need to win the popular vote by between five to six points in order to win the House if the court strikes down Section 2. But, since gerrymandering depresses turnout of the losing party's voters, Republicans would appear to hold the country even more firmly, making the United States as a whole reflect the American South from about 1874 to 1965.