Tenn. State Rep. Justin Jones Visits Sacramento; Gov. Newsom Calls Out “Stone-Cold Racism”

May 21, 2026

Tennessee lawmaker Justin Jones, an Oakland native, traveled to California to warn about Republican-led redistricting efforts that are eliminating majority-Black congressional districts across the country. Jones burned a replica Confederate flag at the Tennessee Capitol to protest a redistricting plan that eliminated Tennessee's last Democratic-leaning House seat and divided Memphis's Black population across multiple districts. The California State Assembly responded by passing a resolution calling on Congress to restore protections under the Voting Rights Act, following a recent Supreme Court decision that weakened voting rights safeguards.

Who is affected

Justin Jones (Tennessee lawmaker representing the 52nd District)
Black and Democratic voters in Memphis, Tennessee whose population is being divided into three districts
Black voters in Louisiana whose second majority-Black congressional district is being eliminated
Approximately 45,000 Louisiana voters whose early and absentee ballots are being discarded
One-third of the Congressional Black Caucus who could potentially lose their seats
Black state lawmakers across the country
Members of the California Legislative Black Caucus
Constituents in Jones's Nashville district who will have different congressional representation

What action is being taken

Justin Jones is traveling to California and other states to raise awareness about redistricting threats
The California State Assembly has passed Assembly Joint Resolution 31 with a 60-11 bipartisan vote
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is suspending the state's primary election
The Louisiana State Senate has passed Senate Bill 121 (27-10 vote) eliminating the second majority-Black congressional district
Louisiana is directing 45,000 affected voters to recast their votes in November
California Legislative Black Caucus members are standing in solidarity with Jones at the California State Capitol

Why it matters

This represents a significant rollback of voting rights protections established by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, with officials describing it as "Jim Crow 2.0" and the largest threat to Black political representation since Reconstruction. The Supreme Court's recent decision has weakened safeguards against racially discriminatory redistricting, enabling Republican-led states to eliminate majority-Black congressional districts and dilute Black voting power. This coordinated effort across multiple states could result in one-third of the Congressional Black Caucus losing their seats, fundamentally altering political representation for Black communities and undermining the democratic principle of fair representation. The situation demonstrates how modern tactics like redistricting achieve the same racist goals as historical voter suppression methods like poll taxes and literacy tests.

What's next

AJR 31 has been referred to the California State Senate for consideration
Tennessee legislature will reconvene in January and is expected to target state legislative districts after federal redistricting
Louisiana's Senate Bill 121 has advanced to the Louisiana House of Representatives for consideration
Louisiana will hold congressional voting in November with potential runoffs on December 12

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint