Black voters in the South drive Democratic gains in key races

Black voters in the South turned out at unusually high levels on Tuesday, helping Democrats win state offices and narrow Republican margins, including Georgia electing its first Black female governor and Alabama reelecting two Black House representatives. The turnout followed an April Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act, prompting community networks like Black churches and historically Black colleges to mobilize voters. Democrats expanded their advantage among Black voters, driven by anger over the ruling, high prices, and policy dismantling, with Black voters supporting Democratic House candidates by roughly 80 percentage points. Mississippi may elect its first Black senator since Reconstruction, with Scott Colom holding a razor-thin lead. Republican redistricting sliced Black-heavy districts in Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana, but high turnout could erode conservative strongholds, though some Democratic gubernatorial candidates fell short despite narrowed margins.