From the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:
Katherine Tate, a political scientist at the University of California at Irvine, agreed, saying most academic research confirms [U.S. Rep. Mike] Ross' point that districts need to be majority black to elect a black representative.... "Research continues to show that [black voters'] interests are best maximized in districts where their group represents a voting majority. If that's not possible, constructing districts where Democratic candidates have a good shot at winning a congressional election is then second best," Tate wrote in an e-mail.

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