The sole Black majority (25% of the state IS Black) US House seat in the state will NOT be sectioned up by Republicans to block 85 year old Jim Clyburn from retaining his seat thru the November Midterm election….
South Carolina Republicans defied President Donald Trump and blocked a redistricting measure that would have drawn out the state’s lone Democrat, Rep. Jim Clyburn.
The move Tuesday all but kills their chances of flipping that seat for 2026. It’s possible the GOP will still draw out Clyburn before 2028.
A procedural vote to end debate on the map early failed in the state Senate 24-20, with 12 Republicans joining all Democrats. The state Senate then voted to adjourn until June 10, effectively ending any hope of redistricting before the midterms.
It’s a massive pivot from just two weeks ago, when GOP Gov. Henry McMaster chose to call a special season to redraw after pressure from Trump and the White House. Now, Republican lawmakers who defected in South Carolina could face the same fate in 2028 as Indiana lawmakers who rebuked Trump — and then lost their primaries to MAGA-aligned challengers.
But because of the timing of the elections — the timing they refused to change — the South Carolina Republicans will likely be safe until the 2028 primaries, as early voting has already begun for this year.
In a statement after the measure failed, state Sen. Larry Grooms placed the blame at McMaster’s feet for declining to call a special session until it was too late.
“Republicans and the White House worked quickly to pass a redistricting plan before the start of in-person voting,” he said, “but the call from the governor came too late.” (McMaster called the special session almost immediately afterthe legislature’s regular session ended)…..
image….WSJ
South Carolina get a BIG Primary turnout in early voting …
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) on Tuesday said the Palmetto State’s record-breaking early voter turnout could be attributed to residents’ anger over Republicans’ redistricting measure.
“People were upset that this was taking place. And people tend to vote when they get angry. And people were very angry,” Clyburn told reporters hours after casting his ballot in Orangeburg, S.C.
“I watched some of the interviews that were taking place at polling places today. And I don’t know if I’ve ever seen voters as animated as I saw them today,” he added.
A total of 44,600 people voted in person by 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, nearly doubling the previous record for a single day of early voting in a primary election, according to the South Carolina Daily Gazette.
Voters turned up in droves as the South Carolina state Senate considered a plan to advance a new congressional map that would put Clyburn’s majority-minority district in danger….
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