The Supreme Court sharply weakened the Voting Rights Act. That's where we're starting

the seven from the Washington Post. I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Thursday, April 30th. Let's get you

caught up with today's seven stories. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is considered one of the biggest achievements of the

civil rights era. It bans discriminatory voting practices such as literacy tests and

poll taxes, and it has helped increase minority representation in state and federal offices.

Section 2 is a key pillar of the act. It allows states to use race to draw maps that help

minority communities elect candidates of their choice. Yesterday, the Supreme Court did not strike

down that provision, but effectively gutted it.

As a result, Republicans could scramble to redraw districts, especially in the South,

and that could cost many Black Democrats their seats in Congress.

A group of Black Democrats spoke at a news conference yesterday.

Representative Cleo Fields, who represents a

district in Louisiana, spoke about the historical context of the ruling. Listen, I'm from a state

where in order to register to vote years ago, you had to state the preamble to the Constitution.

I'm from a state that basically said you had to own property in order to register to vote. This is not new for me. The ruling could deliver Republicans

a host of House seats in 2008, but the effects could be felt even sooner than that.

The Post reported yesterday that Republican Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is already preparing to suspend his state's midterm election primaries that had been scheduled for May 16th.

That would allow state lawmakers to pass a new congressional map before the midterms.

Number two.

What the previous administration did to our economy, what the previous administration did with inflation,

what the previous administration did with COVID, and you're going to elect this administration about the economy?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clashed with Democrats in a fiery House hearing.

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