Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan warned Tuesday that recent decisions by the court's conservative majority have intensified political polarization and weakened American democracy.

Speaking at Catholic University's law school in Washington, D.C., the liberal justice singled out rulings on voting rights, partisan gerrymandering and campaign finance. She argued these decisions have created a "race to the bottom" among both parties and left the political system less functional.

"In all these areas, the court has kind of blinded itself to the very deleterious effects of their rulings on how the political system works and has created a democracy that does not work as well as it should," Kagan said.

Kagan, appointed by former President Barack Obama, pointed to the 2019 decision in Rucho v. Common Cause, which held that federal courts could not intervene in partisan gerrymandering claims. She said the ruling enabled both parties to draw maps that eliminate competitive districts and push candidates toward extremes to avoid primary challenges.

She also criticized decisions that limited the Voting Rights Act and loosened campaign finance restrictions. Kagan dissented in those cases.

The remarks came ahead of the November midterm elections, with control of Congress at stake. Kagan noted that states are drawing maps to favor one party or the other in ways she called destructive to democratic representation.

"Over the last couple of years especially, both political parties have been engaged in a race to the bottom in terms of doing these partisan gerrymanders, effectively depriving masses of citizens of their rights to voting equality," she said.

The justice described the country as already too polarized and said the court's approach has made the situation worse. She attributed the outcomes in part to a lack of concern for the practical consequences of the rulings.

Kagan's comments reflect ongoing divisions on the court, where she is one of three liberal justices. The conservative majority has issued several election-related decisions in recent terms that drew sharp liberal dissents.