Republican lawmakers in North Carolina moved forward with a proposal today to redraw their state's congressional map in a way that would eliminate its only swing district.

The mid-decade redistricting is part of a nationwide push by President Trump and his Republican allies to help the GOP maintain control of Congress in next year's elections.

Often through maps that have the effect of

diluting black political power and diminishing the voting strength of communities of color.

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court appeared willing to issue a ruling that could further that

effort during arguments in a Louisiana redistricting case.

NAACP Legal Defense Fund President Junae Nelson argued the case

before the court in defense of Louisiana voters, and she joins us now. Thanks for being with us.

Thank you. Happy to be here. So what was the main argument you presented before the court in defense of

the existing Louisiana map that includes two

majority black districts. What did you want the justices to understand about the stakes?

Well, I wanted the justices to understand that that map was remedying very flagrant violations of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and that if for some

reason that map was not acceptable to them, that the proper recourse is to send it back to the

lower court so that another map could be drawn that does remedy the racial discrimination

that we proved in the case.

And that what the court should not do is tinker with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act because

it has been such a formidable protection and tool to advance our democracy.

And you just explained the many ways in which black voters are often exploited

or their votes are diluted for a variety of reasons, including sometimes partisan aims. And

the Voting Rights Act, Section 2 in particular, is the only shield from that that we can use

with any expectation of real protection.

For the unfamiliar, what is Section 2 and what does it do?

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