6 days ago
Texas Is the Front Line in a National Battle for Democracy
In recent days, the eyes of the nation have turned on Texas in alarm as state Republicans, in collaboration with the Trump administration, brazenly attack the voting rights of their own constituents. The target of this unprecedented mid-decade challenge to democracy is clear—Black and Latino voters whose growing numbers threaten to shift political power in a rapidly changing state.
Sixty years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act, this calculated move by Texas lawmakers reveals that fundamental democratic rights are still under threat.
These legislators are hoping to pick their voters, not the other way around. They are shamefully pushing through a gerrymandered congressional map that further dilutes the voice of Black and Brown voters. Their goal is to secure up to five additional GOP congressional seats, even as Black and Latino Texans continue to drive the state's population growth.
Texas is a "majority-minority" state with communities of color representing approximately 60 percent of the population. The Black population of Texas is not only the nation's largest but also one of the fastest growing in the metro areas of Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth. Latinos, a bedrock of the Texas community, are the second-fastest growing demographic in the country. Yet, despite both communities making up over half of Texas' population, their political representation remains disproportionately low in many areas.
AUSTIN, TEXAS - AUGUST 07: A person views a map during a Senate Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting public testimony hearing on August 07, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
AUSTIN, TEXAS - AUGUST 07: A person views a map during a Senate Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting public testimony hearing on August 07, 2025 in Austin, partisan effort serves a single purpose—handing Republicans five more seats in the 2026 midterms—and it's being done at the expense of voters and democracy. Knowing that voters are likely to reject their disastrous policies in 2026, Republicans are resorting to rigging maps in a panic. It's a deliberate suppression of our communities. That's not democratic, and it's not American.
It's an effort to roll back the political power that grassroots Black and Brown organizers, volunteers, community-makers, and activists have built up over many years. Texan voters have faced repeated attempts by their representatives to silence their voices, suppress their will, and take away their power. They have been at the forefront of what has become a nationwide epidemic.
In 2013, when the Supreme Court struck down the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act, Texas Republicans exploited the decision to implement gerrymandered maps. Within hours of the decision, the state also enacted a strict voter ID law that had previously been ruled illegal by a federal court. Then, in 2021, Texas further restricted the right to vote with SB1, a draconian bill that specifically targeted voting methods disproportionately used by working communities and communities of color. Just four years later, the attacks have returned, this time with a fury the nation has not seen before.
What we're witnessing in Texas exemplifies a broader attack on voting rights and our democratic system. This month, the United States Supreme Court opened the door to potentially gutting what little remains of the Voting Rights Act, and throughout 2025 numerous states have proposed and even enacted laws targeting vulnerable communities and threatening voting rights.
A cornerstone of American democracy is government, of the people, that works for the people, ensuring all Americans are heard. Texas Republicans are doing the opposite. They are telling Texans that voters don't get to choose their representatives, and that Republicans are "entitled to five more seats," merely because the president says so.
Let's be clear: this is not about politics, but power. It's about erasing the voices of people who have driven the state's growth, and who tirelessly serve the Texas community at every level and play a role in making Texas an economic powerhouse.
By design, these maps slice through Black and Brown neighborhoods, "cracking" cohesive communities and merging them with distant suburbs. This practice makes it nearly impossible for Black and Latino voters to elect candidates of their choosing. Meanwhile, other districts are "packed" with voters of color, concentrating their influence in a few seats while the rest of the state's districts are drawn to favor whiter, more conservative voters.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warned that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." What is happening in Texas is just that. When we allow one community to fall by the wayside, trapped by suppressive and destructive laws, we give a green light to others with the same intentions to proceed with efforts of their own. Instead, we must treat this moment as flashing red warning sign, and act diligently to stop it.
This is not just a Texas story. It is part of a national strategy to undermine the rising political power of Black and Latino communities. As our nation grows more diverse, so will the efforts to suppress and silence these critical voices.
Even before Dr. King told the world about his dream during the March on Washington, he valiantly urged elected leaders to "give us the ballot." He understood then, as we understand now, that an American's vote can bring the country one step closer to being one that works for them. He believed our representatives had a grave duty to promote the voting process, not suppress it.
Democracy and voting rights do not erode overnight; they dissipate slowly after repeated attacks that go unanswered. Eventually though, those small steps reach a point of no return.
History shows us what happens when people stay silent. Voters and leaders of all backgrounds must unite to reject this dangerous attempt at voter suppression. We must remain committed to the fight and work to build political power for Black and Latino communities beyond 2026.
This isn't just about lines on a map. It's about the lives and futures of millions in Texas and nationwide who deserve to have their voices heard and their votes counted.
Martin Luther King, III, is a global humanitarian, activist, and the eldest son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He is Chairman of the Board of the Drum Major Institute, the author of "What is My Legacy?" and co-host of the My Legacy podcast.
Arndrea Waters King is a leading civil rights advocate, thought leader, advocate for peace, and the President of the Drum Major Institute (DMI). She is the co-author of "What is My Legacy," and co-host of the My Legacy Podcast.
Hector E. Sanchez Barba is the President and CEO of Mi Familia Vota. He is also the Chair Emeritus of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 46 major Latino organizations advancing civil rights and policy reform.
The views expressed in this article are the writers' own.
