US Senate minority leader slams Supreme Court ruling on Voting Rights Act

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday slammed a new Supreme Court ruling that weakens a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, calling it a major setback for minority voting rights and pledging a broad Democratic response ahead of upcoming midterm elections.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer said the decision “demolishes” Section 2 of the landmark law, which has long been used to challenge racially discriminatory electoral maps.

“This decision is a demolition of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act,” Schumer said. “It opens the floodgates for states across the South to redraw their congressional districts and make voters of color essentially invisible in our democracy.”

The ruling by the Supreme Court came in a 6–3 decision, delivering a victory to Louisiana Republicans and allies of President Donald Trump. The decision blocks a congressional map that had created a second Black-majority district in Louisiana.

Schumer warned that the latest ruling could have sweeping political consequences. “By some estimates, this decision could lead conservative state legislatures to draw as many as 19 additional seats that favor Republicans in the House,” he said.

He accused the court of being aligned with US President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

"This case is the MAGA court trying to give Republicans a leg up in future elections. It is a knife to the heart of some of the most important civil rights legislation that past generations marched for, organized for, and bled for.

"Shame on the High Court, shame on the MAGA justices rigging our elections," Schumer said.

Senate Democrats will fight it to reverse "this awful decision," he said.

Schumer announced a new Democratic initiative aimed at safeguarding the midterm elections in November.

“I am launching the Democratic Party's most expansive effort to date to protect the 2026 midterm elections, and to shield them from the direct threats posed by Trump and MAGA Republicans,” he said.

Later, briefing reporters ahead of launching the party's new elections task force for the 2026 midterms, Schumer said Democrats have known "the danger we face in our elections."

"Today, we're ramping up our efforts. And what are we doing? We are joining with forces, with outside groups that have been working on this as well," he added.

With top election law experts, he said, they will identify threats, fight voter suppression efforts, and defend the right to vote ahead of the midterms.