Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa Responds to Louisiana v. Callais

HARRISBURG, PA - April 29, 2026 − Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Louisiana v. Callais, holding that a plaintiff alleging race-based discrimination under the Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 will be successful only if they can prove that there was a "strong inference of intentional discrimination" by the State and using an impossible legal test for any future plaintiff to meet in doing so.

In response, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa offers the following statement:

"The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus has stood for fair, free elections that empower all Americans to elect leaders who share their values. As we celebrate the nation's semiquincentennial, we are reminded of the struggles of communities of color, who organized for decades for inclusion in our political processes, maps that recognize their equal right to elect a representative of their choice, and protection from actors seeking to erase them entirely. Today's decision deals a tragic blow to the Voting Rights Act and the legal protections it afforded to the voting power of racial minorities. Our caucus will continue the difficult, necessary work of supporting every Pennsylvanian, of every race, ethnicity, background, and creed, to secure representation that reflects the diversity that we treasure so dearly as Americans."

Learn more about the PA Senate Democrats' commitment to every Pennsylvanian here.

#####