By Tarohon Wayne Shannon, Oklahoma’s first African-American House speaker, pushed back on President Barack Obama’s pessimistic outlook for minority voters in the wake of Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling that reshapes the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Obama argued that the court “abandoned” the principle of equal participation, while Shannon argued that the ruling further excluded race from American politics and highlighted his own story as proof that minorities do not need special treatment to win the presidency.
“The idea that you have to have a racially gerrymandered district in order to win and compete is just nonsense,” said Shannon, who is currently running for lieutenant governor.
In a 6-3 decision On Wednesday, the court along ideological lines struck down Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District, which was redrawn in 2024 to favor predominantly black voters. The court also ruled that states cannot use race to gerrymander districts to disenfranchise voters or help minority communities support their preferred candidates.
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Former Oklahoma House Speaker TW Shannon (left) poses with former President Barack Obama (right).
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Obama reacted to the X ruling, saying it was devastating for minorities.
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“This is just one more example of how the current majority of the Court appears intent on abdicating its important role in ensuring equal participation in our democracy and protecting the rights of minorities from majority overreach,” Obama wrote.
Shannon strongly disagreed, arguing that the former president’s framing would only exacerbate “racial divisions.”
“What the Supreme Court is really doing is saying you can’t solve a problem of discrimination by discriminating against people. Race shouldn’t be the deciding factor when it comes to redistricting,” Shannon told Fox News Digital.
Shannon added: “The entire country is tired and disappointed with the Obamas, who constantly complain about how bad and racist America is.”
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Former President Barack Obama during a campaign event on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
While Democrats believe the ruling could be abused to dilute minority voting power on the pretext of non-racial factors, Shannon said his experience shows candidates can succeed no matter how the districts are drawn.
“When I was elected, I was 27, into the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and I was elected in a majority-white district. They elected me in a landslide. I was the first Republican to win my district,” Shannon said.
“Then when I got into the Legislature, a predominantly white Legislature elected me as leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.”
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The sculpture “Long Water” by Allan Houser stands in front of the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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Shannon noted that he still believes racism exists in America, calling it a “sin” tied to the human condition.
“There are three things that make this country great. I call them the three C’s. This is capitalism, this is the Constitution, this is Christianity. The solution to racism is for more believers to exercise the freedom that exists within Jesus Christ. It’s the only way I know to address racism,” Shannon said.
Original source of the article: Black conservatives accuse Obama of ‘constant whining’ after Supreme Court voting rights decision
