The battle to save voting rights is rapidly coming to a head — and the next few days could decide the future of American democracy.
After Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called a special session of the state Legislature to ram through a sweeping attack on voting rights, Democratic state legislators left Texas to deny a quorum and block the bill and traveled to Washington, D.C., to plead with Senate Democrats for help.
Now, all eyes are on Senate Democrats — especially Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who must decide whether to protect the right to vote or continue to cling to defending the filibuster rule over everything else.
The Intercept is closely tracking these attacks on voting rights and following the money fighting to maintain the filibuster rule. We’ve had blockbuster scoops, including a leaked recording of Manchin discussing filibuster strategy with billionaire donors. The future of American democracy rides on decisions that will be made in the weeks and months to come. The Intercept, with your support, will be there to uncover every shady detail.
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Like similar attacks on voting rights in Georgia, Arizona, and elsewhere, the Texas bill is aimed at stopping Black people and other Democratic-leaning constituencies from voting so Republicans can govern by minority rule.
Texas already had among the most restrictive voting laws in the country, and this bill would make it even harder to vote by restricting mail-in voting, increasing voter ID requirements, eliminating drive-thru and dropbox voting, banning local election officials from sending voters applications for mail-in ballots, and allowing partisan “poll watchers” to interfere and intimidate voters.
But it’s critical that every American understands that these voter suppression laws cannot be passed and enforced without bipartisan cooperation.
Republicans are driving this attack on voting rights, but ultimately, the decisive votes will be cast by Democrats in the U.S. Senate. They have the power to protect voting rights at the federal level and block laws like the one in Texas — but only if they’re willing to reform the filibuster.
That’s why, as Texas Democrats plead with Manchin, Sinema, and other Senate Democrats to show some backbone and join the fight to defend the right to vote, The Intercept has put significant reporting resources into covering not just the Republicans’ attacks on voting rights but also the Democratic senators choosing to prioritize the filibuster over defending our democracy.
I’ve been covering these issues for more than a decade, and as The Intercept’s D.C. bureau chief, I guarantee that there is no more important fight for the future of our democracy.
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