Vox
July 1, 2026
Supreme Court Term Analysis: Three Major Takeaways
TL;DR
The Supreme Court's recent term saw major losses for Democrats, immigrants, and voting rights advocates, with Justice Kavanaugh aligning more with partisan conservatives and the court embracing gerrymandering while occasionally limiting Trump when Republican interests diverge.
Key Takeaways
- 1Justice Brett Kavanaugh has shifted toward more partisan Republican voting, now consistently siding with the court's most conservative members rather than breaking ranks as he did earlier in his tenure
- 2The Supreme Court has removed limits on gerrymandering, allowing states to draw racially discriminatory maps that ensure Republican victories without constitutional constraints
- 3Trump's legal losses this term occurred only when his positions divided the Republican party, suggesting ideological alignment rather than judicial independence drives outcomes
Notable Quotes
“If Kavanaaugh keeps voting like Alto, that's going to make it extremely difficult for Democrats to win cases in the future.”
“While states have historically had a lot of leeway to draw their own maps, there used to be limits, and now there's none. That's the Supreme Court's fault.”
Chapters
1. Kavanaugh's Ideological Shift
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, once known for breaking with the court's most reactionary wing on issues like First Amendment protections and voting rights, has increasingly voted with partisan conservatives, supporting Trump's tariffs and voting restrictions.
2. The Court's Embrace of Gerrymandering
After giving states free rein to draw partisan maps in 2019, the Supreme Court this term approved racial gerrymanders in southern states designed to lock in Republican victories, eliminating traditional limits on redistricting.
3. Trump's Selective Losses
Trump lost two major cases this term—on tariffs and birthright citizenship—both issues that divide the Republican party, suggesting his losses result from intra-party disagreement rather than principled judicial opposition.
Key People & Entities
- Brett Kavanaugh
- Supreme Court Justice whose voting pattern has shifted toward partisan conservatism
- Samuel Alito
- Supreme Court Justice representing the court's most reactionary conservative wing
- Donald Trump
- Former president whose legal cases before the Supreme Court included tariff and citizenship disputes
Glossary
- Gerrymandering
- The practice of redrawing electoral district boundaries to favor one political party or group
- Partisan maps
- Electoral district boundaries intentionally drawn to give one political party electoral advantage
- Birthright citizenship
- The automatic granting of citizenship to individuals born within a country's territory