Last week, Fair Fight Action CEO Lauren Groh-Wargo sat down for a Substack Live with Amanda Litman, co-founder and president of Run for Something, to talk about what comes next after Louisiana v. Callais – and why protecting democracy now depends on the people willing to step up and run.
The Supreme Court’s ruling cleared the way for another round of mid-decade gerrymanders aimed squarely at Black and brown voters. The response can’t live in courtrooms alone. It has to live in the state legislatures, county commissions, school boards, and city councils where the rules of our elections actually get written – and that’s exactly the terrain Lauren and Amanda dug into.
What They Covered:
The record class of Run for Something candidates in 2026 – 323 endorsed so far, on track to clear 400 – running across 42 states, 54% of them for state legislature
How local offices like county commissions become front-line defenders of voting rights, like local leaders as the fight to protect Fulton County’s Board of Elections
Why the South is the battleground – from the path to a Democratic majority in the Georgia State House this fall, to Doug Jones’s run for Alabama governor, to Scott Colom’s U.S. Senate bid in Mississippi
The shift in why people are running: not just against Trump, but against being told to wait their turn
Lauren Groh-Wargo:
“We’re in a massive racist map-rigging situation in the South. But what’s also happening is we’re winning tough races. These gerrymanders are aggressive and they’re racist – and I think they’re going to create unintended consequences.”
Amanda Litman:
“In 2025, we worked with candidates who won in districts Trump won 70-30. These are not safe blue areas, not even purple areas. They are deep red. People are pissed, and good candidates who can connect to them authentically can break through in a big way.”
Watch the full conversation for more.
In Solidarity,
Fair Fight Action Team
