"I don't know why the Democrats are doing what they're doing" in their effort to pass voting rights legislation, Jessica Huseman, an elections expert and the editorial director at Votebeat, told Politico. "I genuinely don't understand."
Huseman's point is that the party should be focusing on the John Lewis Voting Rights Act (or H.R. 4), which was introduced in 2019 and would restore and strengthen aspects of the original 1965 Voting Rights Act, as opposed to the more sweeping For the People Act (or H.R. 1). "I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that this bill could create some bipartisan support," Huseman said.
While the makeup of the Senate means Democrats will struggle to get either bill through the upper chamber, H.R. 1 has almost no chance, especially considering Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) is the only Democratic senator who isn't co-sponsoring the bill, Politico notes.
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Rev. Al Sharpton agrees with Huseman, telling Politico that he thinks "the politics of public opinion says that H.R. 4 would be more difficult for the Republicans to justify opposing." Sharpton said he wants both bills passed ultimately, but added that H.R. 4 "takes the veil off those that are trying to obstruct voting rights." Read more at Politico.
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