The Republican party’s role in civil rights achievements is undeniable. Neither the Civil Rights Act of 1964 nor the Voting Rights Act of 1965 would have become law if Republicans hadn’t supported them. Today, Republican support for the Voting Rights Act is sparse–with only one Republican pushing hard to see the law fully restored after the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that gutted it. Meanwhile, at least one prominent Republican Senator has even questioned parts of the Civil Rights Act.
Whether Obama-aversion, policy differences, or scheduling conflicts kept Republicans away, the optics of not attending the event don’t help the GOP’s rebranding efforts as they try to court minority voters.
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