Representative Bennie Thompson, the lone Democrat from Mississippi in the US House, has condemned the Supreme Court's recent decision that effectively weakened the Voting Rights Act (VRA), calling it 'red meat to the Republican legislators of the south.' Thompson, who is also the state's only Black congressional representative, warned that the ruling opens the door for renewed voter suppression tactics.
Supreme Court Ruling Sparks Redistricting Threats
In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which reinterpreted Section 2 of the VRA, conservative lawmakers in Mississippi have explicitly targeted Thompson. They are threatening to redraw the boundaries of the second congressional district, which he has represented since 1993. Thompson noted that the VRA had previously prevented states from engaging in 'bad behavior,' such as asking Black voters how many bubbles were in a bar of soap. With the new interpretation, he said, lawmakers could 'create an opportunity for people to not be represented or vote for the candidate of their choice.'
'Mischief could creep back in, just given the hostility associated with what you’re hearing from state legislators and state elected officials,' Thompson told the Guardian.
Republican Officials Call for Redrawing Thompson's District
On Wednesday, Andy Gipson, Mississippi's agriculture commissioner and a Republican gubernatorial candidate, posted on Facebook calling for the state to redraw lines to hurt Thompson's electoral chances. Shad White, the state auditor and another likely GOP gubernatorial candidate, has also extensively posted on social media about Thompson, labeling his district as 'gerrymandered' and demanding its redrawing.
Thompson's district, which is nearly 300 miles long and lacks public transportation, was drawn by majority Republican legislators. When it was last redrawn, lawmakers added four rural counties that had never been part of the second district, despite Thompson's suggestion to include parts of Hinds and Madison counties that he already partially represents. To reach all parts of his district, Thompson must fly to Memphis, Tennessee, or Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
'Whatever the perceived gerrymandering that Republican elected officials are saying, they have to take credit for it,' Thompson said.
Historical Context of Black Representation in Mississippi
Mississippi once had over 100 Black elected officials during Reconstruction, but that number plummeted after Jim Crow laws were enacted. The 'Mississippi Plan' introduced poll taxes, literacy tests, and felony disenfranchisement to suppress Black voters. By 1964, only about 6.7% of eligible Black Mississippians were registered to vote. The VRA of 1965 changed that, and in 1967, Robert G. Clark Jr. became the state's first Black representative since Reconstruction.
Today, Mississippi is about 38% Black, the highest percentage of any state. Much of that population lives in Thompson's district. 'The Voting Rights Act helped level the playing field for elected officials,' Thompson said. 'Looking at the speed in which governors are calling special sessions, you can surmise that the motive is less than genuine with respect to representing all people.'
Since the Supreme Court decision, governors in Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi have called for special sessions to redraw predominantly Black districts. Republicans in Tennessee eliminated the state's only Black congressional district last week. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new map shortly after the ruling. Alabama's Republican majority already has maps waiting.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves initially called a special session to address state supreme court districts but rescinded it on Wednesday, saying he expects lawmakers to address congressional redistricting later. 'It is not a question of if, it’s a question of when,' Reeves said, referring to Thompson's tenure as a 'reign of terror.'
Thompson anticipated such comments. 'By and large, every state that’s rushing in the south to [redraw districts], the majority of their legislative delegations are Republican,' he said. 'They have publicly stated that this is their moment to change it. I think given those statements, you can assume that Black representation going forward will be on the decline.'
Thompson's Personal Connection to the Voting Rights Act
Thompson, now 78, was born nearly two decades before the VRA was passed. His father died in 1964 without ever being able to vote. The VRA allowed Thompson to cast his first ballot because the local city clerk refused to register Black people. 'My mom and daddy worked, paid taxes, but their son couldn’t get the same education as a white child in this town,' he said. 'But because of the Voting Rights Act, that child who had that separate and unequal education became the mayor of the town.'
Much of the Republican criticism of Thompson stems from his role as chair of the January 6 committee and his liberal voting record. 'Because I believe in diversity, equity and inclusion, as a matter of fact, I’m perceived as not Mississippian enough to represent Mississippi and Washington,' he said. 'Every socioeconomic indicator that Mississippi [ranks last], I voted to get us off the bottom. But to some of the people who have the authority to do redistricting, that’s a problem.'
Call for Resistance and Change
Thompson emphasized that the fight for representative democracy will continue. Southern states are facing legal challenges to their redrawn maps, and voting rights coalitions are mobilizing voters. 'This is our moment to organize, strategize and execute. We have to make sure we have all of the information that we can pull together,' he said. 'This dastardly decision by the US Supreme Court can serve as a catalyst for change. I want to be a part of it, because I know we’re a better country than this. I’m disappointed when I see state officials in Mississippi trying to go back to the dark days of Jim Crow. We plan to resist with every fiber in our body to demonstrate our opposition.'
