GOP Strategist Calls Out CNN For Suggesting Black Voters Don’t Know What’s Best For Them
It was one of those cable news moments where the script seemed obvious — until someone refused to follow it.
During a heated CNN exchange, Democratic operative Alencia Johnson accused President Trump of backing legislation that would “take voting rights away from a lot of black people in this country.” The charge was sweeping and severe. But what followed was less a clash of ideologies and more a lesson in the power of a simple question.
Scott Jennings didn’t counter with a speech. He asked for specifics.
“What voting rights is he taking away from black voters?”
Johnson pointed to the SAVE Act, legislation that would require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and mandate a photo ID for voting. She claimed the bill would “disenfranchise overwhelmingly a lot of people of color.”
Jennings asked again: “How?”
Democrat strategist Alencia Johnson was spinning wildly on CNN, accusing President Trump of taking away the voting rights of black Americans.
Scott Jennings didn’t interrupt her. Instead, he waited for her to finish.
When he entered the fray, he asked the one question that… pic.twitter.com/cRWB0JuwsI
— Overton (@overton_news) February 12, 2026
That’s where the exchange tightened. Johnson referenced civil rights organizations and invoked rhetoric comparing voter ID laws to “Jim Crow 2.0.” But Jennings stayed focused on the mechanics. What, precisely, in the bill prevents eligible voters from casting ballots?
Johnson eventually described the requirements as akin to “new poll taxes,” arguing that documentation demands create barriers. Jennings appeared stunned at the comparison. The SAVE Act, as written, requires documentary proof of citizenship at registration and a photo ID at voting — policies supporters say mirror identification standards used for passports, employment verification, and other routine civic processes.
Then Jennings pivoted to polling data.
He cited surveys indicating that large majorities of Americans — including 76% of black voters, 80% of Hispanic voters, and 83% overall — support voter ID requirements. His pointed follow-up question reframed the debate: if minority voters broadly support these measures, does opposing them on their behalf risk sounding patronizing?
That moment crystallized the tension.
Critics of the SAVE Act argue that documentation requirements can create disproportionate burdens, particularly for lower-income Americans or those with name discrepancies in official records. Supporters counter that citizenship verification is a baseline safeguard for federal elections and that public opinion strongly favors such measures across demographic lines.