Episode Overview
Podcast: What A Day
Episode Title: This Supreme Court Could Change The Future of Elections
Date: October 21, 2025
Host: Jane Coaston (Crooked Media)
Featured Guest: Stacey Abrams (host of Assembly Required, author, voting rights advocate)
Theme:
This episode examines the potentially transformative Supreme Court case, Louisiana vs. Calais, which questions whether states can factor race into voting map design under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The conversation centers on what’s at stake for American democracy, the legislative history of voting rights, and what could change for marginalized voters if the Court undermines established protections.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Setting the Stage: Louisiana vs. Calais and the Voting Rights Act
- [00:02 – 02:30]
- Jane Coaston introduces the context: In two weeks, Americans will vote, but a Supreme Court case may fundamentally alter U.S. elections.
- The case (Louisiana vs. Calais) concerns Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act: Can states consider race in drawing voting districts?
- Louisiana's solicitor general describes the challenge of satisfying court precedents on redistricting.
- Voting rights advocates argue a second majority-Black district is essential for fairness and legal compliance.
- Stakes: Gutting the VRA could eliminate majority-minority districts, possibly giving Republicans a dozen more House seats.
2. Case Background Explained by Stacey Abrams
- [02:31 – 03:49]
- The suit concerns white voters challenging Louisiana’s map for acknowledging the state’s Black population (~30%) as required by the VRA.
- Quote:
“Under Section 2, that accounting for is required because...we have a history...of disregarding the ability of voters of color to select a candidate of their choice.”
– Stacey Abrams [02:47]
3. The Larger History & Recent Decisions
- [03:49 – 06:52]
- Abrams gives a primer on the history of the Voting Rights Act (VRA):
- Section 5: Required preclearance for changes in states with discrimination history.
- Section 2: Prohibits racial discrimination in voting districting.
- Key Supreme Court decisions have weakened these protections:
- Shelby v. Holder (2013) gutted Section 5—states quickly enacted discriminatory laws.
- Common Cause v. Rucho (2016): Partisan gerrymandering is legal; racial is not—though race closely tracks partisanship.
- Brnovich v. DNC (2021): Raised the bar for proving discrimination under Section 2.
- Louisiana vs. Calais could eliminate the need for racial protections in voting rights enforcement.
- Quote:
“What the Calais decision will do, if it goes the way we think...it will essentially say that there is no longer the need to protect communities of color...because, well, racism gone.”
– Stacey Abrams [06:37]
- Abrams gives a primer on the history of the Voting Rights Act (VRA):
4. Supreme Court Dynamics—Potential Outcomes
- [06:52 – 10:09]
- Coaston asks about oral argument takeaways and whether there’s hope for VRA supporters.
- Abrams breaks down current justices’ attitudes:
- Justices Alito, Kavanaugh, and Thomas explicitly want the VRA “dead, buried and gone.”
- Justice Amy Coney Barrett: Favors democratic access but is hesitant about enforcement.
- Justice Gorsuch: Surprisingly even-handed, sometimes pro-access for marginalized voters.
- Chief Justice Roberts: Historically opposed to the VRA but upheld it recently (Allen v. Milligan), so his vote is uncertain.
- The likeliest outcome: A further restriction on Section 2, making challenges nearly impossible.
- Quote:
“That’s like throwing away your umbrella in the middle of a rainstorm.”
– Abrams quoting RBG on Roberts’s colorblindness argument [08:42] - Quote:
“I find it very unlikely, given how easily they have supported and suborned the erosion of democracy...that this will be the moment where they find their spines and their courage and protect black and brown voters. But I look forward to being surprised.”
– Stacey Abrams [09:52]
5. Strategies If the Court Guts VRA Protections
- [10:09 – 11:59]
- Coaston asks: What’s the action plan if states can ignore race in drawing maps?
- Abrams outlines short-term and long-term strategies:
- Short-Term:
- Voter registration drives, especially targeting young people and college students in high-risk states.
- Outreach to voters disenchanted by “democracy not delivering.”
- Engage those outside her political base who value election integrity.
- Reality: Lines (districts) can change, but communities are fixed and vulnerable without legal protection.
- Quote:
“We just have to be really loud and intentional...we can reach out to those who may not be of our political persuasion, but may believe that it's the wrong thing to do to win elections by gaming the system...”
– Stacey Abrams [11:34]
- Short-Term:
6. Long-Term Change and Broader Approaches
- [11:59 – 13:46]
- Abrams emphasizes:
- The problem is long-standing: Failure to teach civics, undercounting in the census.
- Her organization Fair Count pushes for full census participation to ensure representation.
- The fight isn’t just about Trump—he’s an “avatar” for a 60-year project to undermine the VRA.
- Lasting change requires consistent, multifaceted action: civic education, census participation, coalition-building beyond partisan lines.
- Quote:
“If they're coming for us now, they're coming for you next.”
– Stacey Abrams [13:41]
- Abrams emphasizes:
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On precedent and historical blindness:
"John Roberts was the one who in the Shelby case said racism is dead. And Ruth Bader Ginsburg very famously said, that's like throwing away your umbrella in the middle of a rainstorm."
– Stacey Abrams [08:42] -
On the stakes if the VRA is struck down:
"It will essentially say that there is no longer the need to protect communities of color in the United States of America with regards to voting rights, because, well, racism gone."
– Stacey Abrams [06:37] -
On pragmatic hope:
"I find it very unlikely...that this will be the moment where they find their spines and their courage and protect black and brown voters. But I look forward to being surprised."
– Stacey Abrams [09:52] -
On long-view strategy:
"This is not about Trump. He is an avatar. This is a 60 year project. People who have hated the Voting Rights act since its inception...He's going to be gone, but those who are architecting this are going to remain."
– Stacey Abrams [13:16] -
On engaging beyond the base:
“We can reach out to those who may not be of our political persuasion but may believe that it's the wrong thing to do to win elections by gaming the system so aggressively and so nakedly.”
– Stacey Abrams [11:45]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [00:02] — Jane Coaston's opening, setting up the episode's main focus.
- [02:30] — Stacey Abrams joins and explains who is suing and why in Louisiana vs. Calais.
- [04:10] — Primer on the history and sections of the Voting Rights Act.
- [06:37] — Abrams outlines what’s at risk if SCOTUS rules against the VRA.
- [07:17] — Analysis of Supreme Court justices and how they might rule.
- [10:25] — Strategies for protecting voting rights if VRA protections are lost.
- [12:17] — Long-term approaches: civic education, census advocacy, and coalition-building.
- [13:46] — Closing thanks and summary of the stakes.
Final Thoughts & Takeaways
Tone: Analytical, urgent, candid, but not despairing—emphasizing deep structural issues over partisan drama.
Who should listen: Anyone concerned about democracy, voting rights, and the future of fair elections in the U.S.
“What do we intend for our democracy to look like? Because if they're coming for us now, they're coming for you next.”
— Stacey Abrams [13:41]
For deeper coverage:
Listen to “Strict Scrutiny” for an in-depth breakdown of Louisiana vs Calais oral arguments with leading civil rights attorneys (recommendation at [16:30]).
(End of summary. Non-content, ads, and closing credits omitted as per instructions.)