Final answer:
Congressman John Lewis believed President Johnson didn't support a voting rights act in 1964 due to fears of backlash from Southern Democrats and because he felt he could achieve more for civil rights through other legislative measures.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Congressman John Lewis, President Johnson didn't want to pass a voting rights act in 1964 because of the political climate of the time. Johnson was concerned about a backlash from Southern Democrats, who were historically opposed to federal interventions regarding voting rights, particularly for African Americans. Lewis has suggested that Johnson believed he could achieve more for civil rights by focusing on other legislative priorities, and that the passage of the Civil Rights Act earlier that same year made the potential for passing a voting rights act more difficult due to political exhaustion.
Learn more about 1964 Voting Rights Act