Obama made a mistake with the Voting Rights Act decision, said Shannon, the Oklahoma attorney

Tahrohon Wayne (TW) Shannon, Oklahoma's first African-American speaker of the House, is pushing back on President Barack Obama's pessimistic view of minority voters following Wednesday's Supreme Court decision that reshaped the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Where Obama saw the court “abandon” the principles of equal participation, Shannon believes that this decision perpetuates racism in American politics, highlighting her story as proof that minorities do not need special treatment to win office.

“This idea that you have to have a district that is attracted to apartheid in order to win and compete is just nonsense,” said Shannon, who is running for the position of Lieutenant Governor.

In its 6-3 decision released following opinions Wednesday, the court struck down Louisiana's 6th district, which was redistricted in 2024 to have more black voters. The court also ruled that states may not use race to draw districts that disenfranchise voters or help minority communities support voters.

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Obama, reacting to X's decision, called the decision a disaster for minorities.

“It serves as one example of how the current majority of the Court seems willing to abdicate its vital role in ensuring equal participation in our democracy and protecting the rights of minority groups from exploitation by the majority,” Obama wrote.

Shannon strongly disagreed, saying the former president's proposal would only fuel “racial division.”

“What the Supreme Court has done is that you can't fix racism by discriminating against people. Race should not be the deciding factor when it comes to imposing restrictions,” Shannon told Fox News Digital.

“The whole country is tired and disillusioned with the Obamas and their constant whining about how racist America is,” Shannon added.

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Former President Barack Obama during a campaign event on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Although Democrats argue that the decision could be misused to reduce minority voting power under the pretext of nondiscrimination, Shannon says his experience shows that candidates can win regardless of how districts are drawn.

“When I was elected, I was 27 years old, in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, I was elected in a predominantly white district. They voted for me. I was the first Republican to win my district,” said Shannon.

“When I got to the Legislature, the all-white legislature elected me to be the leader of the Oklahoma State House of Representatives.”

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Allan Houser's As Long as the Water Flows sculpture stands in front of the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City, Okla. (Visions of America/Universal Images Group/Getty Images)

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Shannon noted that she still believes racism exists in America, calling it a “sin” inherent in the human condition.

“There are three things that made this country great. I call them the three C's. It is Capitalist, Constitutional, and Christian. The way you fix racism is to have more believers who use the freedom that exists in Jesus Christ. That's the only way I know how to fix racism,” said Shannon.