‘Where can we find hope?’: your questions about the US supreme court’s voting rights decision answered

Guardian reporters Fabiola Cineas and Adria Walker. Illustration: Guardian Design View image in fullscreen Guardian reporters Fabiola Cineas and Adria Walker. Illustration: Guardian Design ‘Where can we find hope?’: your questions about the US supreme court’s voting rights decision answered Guardian reporters Fabiola Cineas and Adria Walker held a Reddit Q&A about Louisiana v Callais – here’s a rundown In April, the supreme court’s decision in Louisiana v Callais struck a massive blow to the Voting Rights Act, eliminating a key provision that gave minority voters representation in Congress. Within days of the decision, Republican-led states in the south moved to redraw congressional maps to erase majority-Black districts. Some of those maps have already gone into effect ahead of the midterms. Guardian reporters Fabiola Cineas and Adria Walker have been on the ground talking to Black voters, affected congresspeople and activists fighting back in the south. Fabiola and Adria answered your questions about their reporting and experiences. Read the Q&A below. How will the supreme court ruling affect Democrats in the midterms? chippin_out asks: How badly damaged are the Democrats coming into the midterm elections with all of these court rulings? I honestly think we won’t even win the House any longer. Fabiola: There are so many variables here. Democrats are currently favored to win the House, but the redistricting war has definitely added a lot of uncertainty and somewhat narrowed that path. Historically, the party out of power gains seats during midterms, and Trump’s low approval rating can certainly help Democrats. Last year, Trump started pressuring Republican states to gerrymander their congressional maps to help the party hold onto its slim House majority. Several states have redrawn those maps since last year, and the redraws after Callais will give Republicans more districts. Democrats responded by redistricting in California to gain more seats there. But Democrats were also dealt a blow in Virginia when the state’s supreme court rejected a voter-approved congressional map that would have given Democrats four seats in the House. Democrats can win but maps will continue to change in the coming months, and Republicans are changing election rules to maintain power. Is there anywhere in the south that won’t be affected by this decision? clash_by_night asks: I live in Louisiana and am currently trying to leave for so many reasons. I’d love to head to California or even leave the country, but my family thinks I’m overreacting and won’t support that. I at least convinced my husband to leave Louisiana for Texas. I’m from Texas, so I know it’s pretty bad, too, but seeing people like Talarico gives me hope, at least more hope than I see in Louisiana. My question is, do you think there is anywhere in the south that won’t politically be a flaming dumpster fire? Adria: I’m also a southerner (I live in Mississippi and I’m from Mississippi). I think southern p