Hi, I'm Dan Pramak, host of Axios Recap. And today we're back with another special weekend episode of our hard truth series, looking at structural racism. This month's episode is about power and influence in politics. Here's my Axios colleague, Nailabudu.

Welcome to Axios today. I'm Naila Boodoo. We're here on a Saturday to bring you the fourth

episode in our Hard Truth series, a year-long project examining systemic racism in America.

Today, we're talking about power and influence and politics. Who has it and what it takes to get it? And we're doing

that by having you listen in on a conversation between a veteran and freshman congressman.

South Carolina Representative James Clyburn has been in the halls of Congress for almost

three decades. I was elected in 1992 at a time when no African American had been elected from South Carolina

in 95 years.

And New York Representative Mondare Jones is in his first few months in office, part of the

progressive 2020 blue wave.

Most people discounted my ability to even win.

Having never held elected office, not coming from money.

These two black men are part of the 117th Congress, now the most racially and ethnically diverse in American history.

It continues a recent trend.

This Congress is the sixth in a row to break the diversity records set by the one before it.

But the hard truth is getting elected to Congress is rife with obstacles that make it harder for people of color to run and win office.

Congressman James Clyburn represents South Carolina's 6th District.

It was established after the 1990 census,

when the Justice Department used the Voting Rights Act

to force states with a history of racial discrimination to create new districts.

Here's Representative Clyburn days after his win back in 1992.

What we're attempting to do now is trying to draw lines that would be inclusive.

...