South Carolina lawmakers opened their first full airing of a plan to reshape the state’s U.S. House districts on Monday, launching what lawmakers described as a potentially lengthy debate over how aggressively to pursue a Republican sweep. The discussion unfolded in the state House after a U.S. Supreme Court decision weakened Voting Rights Act protections for minority districts, a change that Republicans have said allows new map-drawing opportunities in multiple states. In South Carolina, attention centered on how a plan could affect long-serving Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn, the lone Democrat among the state’s seven U.S. House representatives. (Associated Press)
The debate in South Carolina comes after tense redistricting fights in other southern states, including Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana, where Republicans have pushed to use the Supreme Court’s ruling to draw districts with large Black populations that have elected Democrats. The AP report said the Supreme Court ruling striking down a Black-majority congressional district in Louisiana and related court actions have created new openings in other jurisdictions for Republicans. (Associated Press)
In South Carolina, some Republicans said they were not fully aligned with the most ambitious version of the strategy. State Rep. Nathan Ballentine said South Carolina had likely benefited from federal projects and funding while Clyburn was in office, and he described asking constituents whether they supported redistricting. Ballentine said “over half of reliable Republicans — people who voted in at least four recent GOP primaries — are against it,” and he added, “My mama raised me just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” (Associated Press)
Ballentine’s remarks came as the broader redistricting backdrop continued shifting nationwide in courts. The AP said that last month’s Supreme Court decision in Louisiana had prompted reversals in other redistricting cases, and on Monday the Supreme Court vacated lower-court decisions on state legislative districts in Mississippi and North Dakota and sent them back for reconsideration in light of the Louisiana ruling. The AP also described similar Supreme Court action on Alabama’s congressional districts after lower-court decisions, which it said created an opening for Republican state officials to try to use a map in midterm elections to win an additional seat. (Associated Press)
Monday’s session also showed lawmakers contending with the practical consequences of changing congressional lines mid-decade. The AP said an amendment adopted on Monday would allow dozens of state board members chosen by congressional districts—including college trustees, utility regulators and parole board members—to stay in their positions until after the 2030 census, even if congressional districts change under a new map. Democratic state Rep. Annie McDaniel characterized the change as a sign of how congressional redistricting outside normal procedures can create additional complications, saying, “We’re talking confusion on top of confusion on top of confusion.” (Associated Press)
The day’s legislative movement ended with Republicans tightening House rules for the bill they were considering. The AP reported that Republicans voted nearly unanimously to limit debate, with each House member allowed one amendment and just three minutes to advocate for their change to the bill. The AP said there were over 600 amendments on the desk when the change was made, and Democratic Rep. Spencer Wetmore said she did not know of any other time the House has limited the number of amendments filed, adding, “We’re changing the rules in the middle of the game.” (Associated Press)
Beyond the redistricting bill, the AP report said the legislative session also touched on election timing and logistics for South Carolina’s June 9 primaries. Some absentee and overseas military votes had already been cast, and early in-person voting was scheduled to begin May 26. The AP also reported that legislation pending in the state House would move the U.S. House primaries to August if it clears the House, after which the proposal would need Senate approval. (Associated Press)
Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who called lawmakers into a special session on redistricting, said it was important for South Carolina to send as many Republicans as possible to Washington. The AP report said he framed that as a way to try to prevent Democrats from taking control of the House and attempting to impeach Trump. (Associated Press)
Even as Republicans pursued a sweep, the AP said some members expressed concern that drawing a 7-0 House map could spread Republican voters too thin, potentially making some districts Republicans currently hold more vulnerable. The AP also described the broader national contest as a work in progress, saying Republicans were ahead in redistricting battles thus far, including scenarios in which Republicans could gain as many as 15 seats from new House maps in states such as Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama, while Democrats expected potential gains in California and Utah. The report cautioned that litigation remained ongoing in some states and that voters would ultimately decide who wins. (Associated Press)
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