ABC and NBC Morning Shows Parrot Dem Views on SCOTUS Map Ruling

All the networks covered the decision on their morning shows. ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s Today had their stories in the early portion of the 7 AM lead hour, while the CBS Mornings segment occurred near the start of their second hour. On Good Morning America, co-host Robin Roberts teased the story as “Major Fallout” as the sound of the Louisiana Legislature’s session to pass a new map was heard in the background. The actual news package was presented by senior political correspondent Rachel Scott who called it a “major blow to the landmark Voting Rights Act.” Scott continued, “The high court sided with a group of white voters in Louisiana who argued one of the state's two majority-black districts was improperly drawn and relied too heavily on race.” On Thursday's Good Morning America, ABC's Rachel Scott parroted the Democrats' viewpoint on the Supreme Court's Louisiana congressional map ruling. She described Justice Kagan's dissent as scathing as the justice warned of far-reaching and grave consequences. pic.twitter.com/q1EuT2nuax — Nick (@nspin310) April 30, 2026 After she played Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s response and read part of Justice Samuel Alito’s ruling, she went straight to the liberal viewpoint. She framed the ruling as a decision that might have brought back “discriminatory voting practices” seen before the civil rights movement: But Democrats argue that ruling effectively cuts the Voting Rights Act, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 at the height of the civil rights movement, to ban discriminatory voting practices.” Scott then stated, “The ruling also means only one of Louisiana's six congressional districts will now be majority black, even though black voters make up one-third of the state.” Examining Virginia’s recent redistricting, Scott chatted about how the state may be represented by Democrats ten-to-one in Congress after 46 percent of the electorate voted for Trump in 2024. Scott echoed the Louisiana congressional representative who could lose his seat due to the ruling: Congressman Cleo Fields represents the district now ruled unconstitutional, saying the decision will make it more difficult for nonwhite candidates to be elected.” She displayed Kagan’s dissent to the six-to-three ruling and called it “a scathing dissent” with “far-reaching and grave” consequences. The end of Scott’s report featured a state Democratic lawmaker’s voice who protested the passage of new maps in Florida. On NBC’s Today, host Craig Melvin teased the segment at the top of the show and described the SCOTUS ruling as “a controversial move as the battle for control of Congress escalates.” White House correspondent Garrett Haake introduced the story as a “fallout” to the ruling and labeled the ruling as a “conservative majority” decision that said it was unconstitutional for lawmakers to have “allowed race to play a part in government decision-making.” On NBC's Today, WH correspondent Garrett Haake's news package on SCOTUS's Louisiana map ruling quoted Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and former President Obama, who both worried about democracy in the face of the ruling. In his piece, he also quoted AOC as a voice against pic.twitter.com/vVhzwh1hHY — Nick (@nspin310) April 30, 2026 After he played a very miniature soundbite from Landry, Haake went straight to the Democrat viewpoint, quoting Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, who called it a “devastating day in the history of our American democracy,” and former President Obama, who accused the court of “abandoning” the principles of “equal participation” in democracy. Haake also reported on Florida’s redistricting before he quoted Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as the voice against gerrymandering, along with a much shorter quote from moderate Republican Mike Lawler: HAAKE: But lawmakers on both sides say this fight won't end until politics are removed from the entire process. OCASIO-CORTEZ: The democratic caucus has tried to pass non-partisan gerrymandering for ten years, Republicans have rejected it. So we have to all abide by the same rules. LAWLER: I don't think there should be guaranteed districts for everybody. On CBS Mornings, there was less of a framed angle to the segment than there was from the other two broadcast networks. Guest host Major Garrett introduced the topic as a “monumental” ruling. He described the ruling: “To a monumental Supreme Court ruling that could affect the upcoming midterm elections and beyond. The rule ruled Louisiana's Congressional Map with two majority black districts is illegal because it relied too much on race to draw the district lines. A lower court had ordered redistricting, arguing one-third of the black population was not properly represented.” CBS Mornings had a less framed approach to the Supreme Court's ruling, as Major Garret described the ruling as monumental. Then, Ed O’Keefe illustrated potential next steps in the new redistricting battle, as he referenced more possible redistricting in blue and red states. pic.twitter.com/3tDzJjTG3k — Nick (@nspin310) April 30, 2026 Ed O’Keefe reported more details of the story and described the makeup of the House majority and gave potential next steps in the new redistricting battle. After Gayle King asked what the Democratic response would be, O’Keefe mentioned possible redistricting in hard-blue states like California, Colorado, and Illinois, which already has a ridiculously gerrymandered map. The transcripts from ABC, NBC, and CBS are below. Click expand: ABC’s Good Morning America April 30, 2026 7:00:52 AM Eastern ROBIN ROBERTS: Major Fallout. (...) After the Supreme Court's historic decision to limit the landmark Voting Rights Act? Now, the states are racing to withdraw their voting maps and what it means for the midterms. (...) 7:08:24 AM Eastern GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The fallout now from the Supreme Court's ruling on voting rights, dramatically weakening a key provision of a 60-year-old law from the civil rights era. The decisions could have a significant impact on the midterms. Senior political correspondent Rachel Scott has the story. Good morning, Rachel. RACHEL SCOTT: George, good morning to you. And we're already starting to see the impacts of this. This decision by the high court severely weakens a section of the landmark Voting Rights Act. And this morning, we're already hearing from Republicans calling on states to redraw their congressional maps before the midterm election. [Cuts to news package] This morning, the Supreme Court delivered a major blow to the landmark Voting Rights Act. The high court sided with a group of white voters in Louisiana who argued one of the state's two majority-black districts was improperly drawn and relied too heavily on race. Louisiana's governor praising the decision. GOV. JEFF LANDRY (R-LA): I think this whole race-baiting - race issue on the redistricting is has been put to bed finally, once and for all. RACHEL SCOTT: Justice Samuel Alito writing “race can only be taken into account when there's evidence that a state intentionally drew its districts to afford minority voters less opportunity because of their race.” But Democrats argue that ruling effectively cuts the Voting Rights Act, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 at the height of the civil rights movement, to ban discriminatory voting practices. The ruling also means only one of Louisiana's six congressional districts will now be majority black, even though black voters make up one-third of the state. Congressman Cleo Fields represents the district now ruled unconstitutional, saying the decision will make it more difficult for nonwhite candidates to be elected. REP. CLEO FIELDs (D-LA): If you tell me I have to be white to serve in Congress from Louisiana, I can't do nothing about that. SCOTT: The liberal justices agreeing justice Elena Kagan, writing in a scathing dissent that the consequences of the ruling are likely to be far reaching and grave. Saying if other states follow suit, the minority citizens residing there will no longer have an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. Kagan, calling it the latest chapter in the majority's now completed demolition of the Voting Rights Act. And just hours after that ruling, Florida Republicans passing a new congressional map that could allow the GOP to gain up to four seats in the midterms. FLORIDA LEGISLATURE MEMBER: The bill passes. SCOTT: Democrats protesting in the state capitol. FLORIDA LEGISLATURE MEMBER: Have all members voted? [Protest yell in background] [Cuts back to live] SCOTT: Any new congressional maps will likely be challenged in court, but Republicans are wasting no time. One challenge, though, for them is that primary season is already well underway, so it's unclear what impact this is going to have on the November midterm elections, but it will certainly impact the future makeup of Congress and elections for 2028 beyond. Robin? (...) NBC’s Today April 30, 2026 7:01:35 AM Eastern CRAIG MELVIN: Landmark ruling. The Supreme Court strikes down Louisiana's voting map. The state’s governor responding with a controversial move as the battle for control of Congress escalates. Straight ahead, what it all means with the crucial midterm elections now just months away. (...) 7:11:29 AM Eastern SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: More to get to, including a key Supreme Court ruling on voting rights ahead of the critical November elections. It could have a major impact on how states redraw their congressional districts. NBC's Garrett Haake is at the White House with more. Garrett, good morning. GARRETT HAAKE: Reporter: Hey, Savannah, good morning. The court here ruled that a majority-black district in Louisiana, currently controlled by a Democrat, was illegally created and must be redrawn. But the fallout from this ruling could now create significant and long-lasting impacts on both the partisan and racial makeup of Congress. [Cuts to news package] The Supreme Court escalating an intense back and forth battle for control of Congress, with a landmark ruling that's already affecting some elections. The court's conservative majority ruling six-to-three that Louisiana's current congressional map, with two majority African-American districts, is unconstitutional. Saying lawmakers allowed race to play a part in government decision-making. GOV. JEFF LANDRY (R-LA): This is exactly what we'll be looking for, is some clarity and certainty from the courts. HAAKE: Democrats blasting the ruling, arguing it weakens a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, aimed at preventing discrimination on the basis of race. Adding that other majority black districts are now vulnerable to being erased. SEN. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-GA): Today is a devastating day in the history of our American democracy. HAAKE: Former President Barack Obama accusing the court of, quote, “abandoning its vital role in ensuring equal participation in our democracy.” President Trump calling the decision a, quote, “big win”, which comes as he's urged GOP-controlled states to redraw their maps to boost Republicans. PRESIDENT TRUMP: Some states don't need to redraw and some do. HAAKE: That push creating a legislative tit for tat. Both parties angling to win more seats, which will be key for the rest of Trump's presidency, with Congress currently narrowly controlled by Republicans. Eight states have already approved mid-decade map changes. FLORIDA STATE REP.: Drawing lines on the basis of race is wrong and unconstitutional. HAAKE: Most recently, on Wednesday, the Florida GOP making a change that will lead to more Republican-leaning districts. Experts say the real implications will come in future elections. But lawmakers on both sides say this fight won't end until politics are removed from the entire process. REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): The democratic caucus has tried to pass non-partisan gerrymandering for ten years, Republicans have rejected it. So we have to all abide by the same rules. REP. MIKE LAWLER (R-NY): I don't think there should be guaranteed districts for everybody. [Cuts back to live] GUTHRIE: So, Garrett, how could this ultimately impact the upcoming midterms? HAAKE: Well, it’s all going to depend on how aggressive governors and state legislators really want to be, with state primaries already in full swing. In the short-term, most experts think that only a handful of states will have the combination of both political will and time to change their now, before the midterms. I’d watch Tennessee and South Carolina, both of which have similar majority-black districts that could now potentially legally be redrawn. But that would lead to Democratic states potentially right to respond with new maps of their own. So, I think what seems more likely is that before the next election in 2030, we'll see another months-long process of politicians redrawing maps to try to pick their voters before the voters pick their next set of politicians. Savannah? GUTHRIE: All right, Garrett, thank you very much. (...) CBS Mornings April 30, 2026 8:03:00 AM Eastern MAJOR GARRETT: To a monumental Supreme Court ruling that could affect the upcoming midterm elections and beyond. The rule ruled Louisiana's Congressional Map with two majority black districts is illegal because it relied too much on race to draw the district lines. A lower court had ordered redistricting, arguing one-third of the black population was not properly represented. The Supreme Court decision weakens section 2 of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act and could have a lot of effect on elections this term and in the future. Ed O'Keefe is in Washington to bring us the details. Ed, good morning. ED O’KEEFE: Major, good to see you. Let's remind folks that the current balance of power shows Republicans with a real thin majority there. Ultimately, 218 seats is what you need to control the House of Representatives, and they're both, the two parties, are fighting over where exactly they can pick up seats. So, let's go through this. Louisiana is the first place we expect it will happen. The governor is reportedly going to suspend next month's primaries to redraw the map and deal with this specific blue district that stretches from New Orleans to Shreveport. If they can do that, that’s one potential Republican seat. Then go over to Florida, where just yesterday Republican legislators approved a new map that potentially gives the GOP up to four more seats there. They called the special session, anticipating the Supreme Court would rule this way. The other state that may quickly redraw its map is Mississippi. They have four seats in that state, and that big blue one there is the one that may potentially be up for redrawing. It is where most of the state's African-American voters live. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that they can tweak the Voting Rights Act, Republicans say they may try to draw there. Other states would like to do this, major. The problem is the candidate registration deadline is passed, the primary has already been held, so you are looking to 2028 to see a bunch of other states redraw their maps. GAYLE KING: So, hey Ed, before you go, how do you expect the Democrats to respond to all of this? O’KEEFE: First of all, they will file a bunch of lawsuits to try to stop it in the individual states. Second, a bunch of Democrats said, you want to redraw the maps in the Republican-controlled southern states? Well, introduce you to California, Illinois, New York, Colorado, places like that. You want to redraw there, we have more seats in those states and could potentially redraw those. And the idea now is: see these two parties potentially fight over this and then maybe at some point there's an ultimatum on trying to do this. That requires voters, though, to get upset, call their congressman and your governor and say, “I don't like this,” and maybe, one day, it stops. KING: All right. To be continued, Ed. Thank you. Always good to see you. (..) Nicholas Spinnato Thu, 04/30/2026 - 19:34 Marketing Timing Regular Search Engine Title ABC and NBC Highlight Democratic Reactions to SCOTUS Louisiana Map Ruling CNS Commentary Off