Congressional Black Caucus conference begins amid concerns over Callais, Voting Rights Act

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 55th annual legislative conference opened this week amid fallout from the Supreme Court's April ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which struck down race-based redistricting protections and, analysts say, could threaten as many as 20 of the caucus's 62 seats as Republican-led states redraw maps. Rep. Glenn Ivey, this year's honorary co-chair, said caucus members are angry both at the ruling and at what he called a deliberate push to dilute Black votes.

Members already affected include Rep. Cleo Fields, who won't seek reelection after Louisiana redrew his district, and Rep. Shomari Figures, whose Alabama district's Black voting age population was cut from nearly 49% to 39%. The conference's more than 100 panels include a session specifically on Callais and the Voting Rights Act, alongside sessions on AI, the racial wealth gap, and DEI rollbacks, plus a fireside chat and various receptions.

Ivey argues the caucus can still win threatened races through turnout, pointing to 2008 and 2012 as models, while vice chair Rep. Denise Mentzer-style self-examination was echoed elsewhere in framing the moment as a test of organizing rather than only litigation.

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