In an interview with NPR, Artur Davis, the former member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), says Alabama and the South is a very different place than when the Voting Rights Act (VRA) was passed over 40 years ago, or much different than even 20 years ago. 

Davis said the biggest unintended consequence of the Voting Rights Act is what he called the “overinterpretation of the Voting Rights Act” that has resulted in hyper racial gerrymandering that has resulted in racially polarized voting patterns and non-competitive races.   

Davis stated that the Voting Rights Act was built on the premise that “Bobby Jindal (the Indian-American Governor from Louisiana and Tim Scott (the Black Republican Congressman from South Carolina)” would never exist.   But in fact, they do.  He noted that in Alabama he was able to receive over 40% of the white vote in his run for Governor and actually received less support from black voters than did other candidates.  He says the modern south shows that white Republicans will vote for Blacks who are Republicans or believe in the same things.  

A link to the full audio interview entitled Is the Voting Rights Act Still Necessary?