Republicans prepare for long-term redistricting domination

Key Points:

• Before 1965, American elections were dominated by two majority-white parties with limited representation of Black, Latino, and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters, largely confined to specific regions.
• The Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 and subsequent legislation dismantled the dominance of conservative southern Democrats and enabled greater political representation for Black voters, while the Immigration and Nationality Act diversified the electorate by allowing more Asian, Latin American, and African migrants.
• Changes in census counting practices, including counting non-citizens for congressional apportionment, have influenced political power distribution, benefiting Democrats who rely on diverse coalitions, even as Republicans criticize these effects.
• By 2020, Democrats could win national elections despite losing a majority of the white vote, supported by majority-minority districts mandated by the VRA, fostering a progressive party platform on issues like abortion, LGBT rights, gun control, and immigration.
• Republicans argue that the current Democratic majority relies on legal protections like the VRA and immigration policies, and with conservative judicial rulings and restrictive immigration measures, liberals fear a rollback of fair electoral competition established since 1965.