COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina’s legislators are set to dive into a significant discussion on Monday, focusing on the potential reshaping of the state’s congressional districts. This debate is driven by former President Donald Trump’s aspirations to redraw the U.S. House map in a way that could potentially favor Republican candidates across all districts.
Similar discussions have already stirred tensions in states like Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana. These debates are fueled by the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that has reduced the Voting Rights Act’s protections for minority-majority districts, giving Republicans an opportunity to reconfigure districts with substantial Black populations that traditionally support Democrats.
In South Carolina, the focus is on a seat held by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the only Democrat representing the state in the House among seven seats.
Clyburn, however, is undeterred by potential changes to his district. Addressing reporters in Washington last week, he confirmed he has residences in Columbia, Charleston, and Santee, stating, “I live in three districts. I’ll decide which one to run in.”
He emphasized, “This isn’t about voting. This is about turning the clock back to Jim Crow 2.0,” implying that the changes are about more than just his district.
South Carolina’s statewide primaries are set for June 9, with early voting beginning on May 26. Alongside the redistricting efforts, there is proposed legislation in the state House to shift the U.S. House primaries to August. If passed, the legislation will proceed to the Senate for further consideration.
Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who called lawmakers into a special session on redistricting, said it is important for South Carolina to send as many Republicans to Washington as possible to try to prevent Democrats from taking control of the House and attempting to impeach Trump.
But some Republicans have expressed concern that an attempt to draw 7-0 House map for the party could spread Republican voters too thin, making some existing Republican-held districts susceptible to Democratic victories.
Republicans are ahead in the national redistricting battle thus far. Since Trump urged Texas Republicans to redistrict last year, Republicans think they could gain as many as 15 seats from new House maps in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama. Democrats, meanwhile, think they could gain six seats from new maps in California and Utah. But litigation is ongoing in some states, and voters will have the final say on who wins.
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Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri. Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed from Washington.
