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The South Carolina Senate on Tuesday rejected a push to redraw the state’s congressional districts just weeks before primary elections, rebuffing pressure from President Donald Trump and exposing divisions among Republicans over a fast-moving effort to create an all-GOP congressional delegation.
Senators voted 29-17 against adding redistricting to a resolution governing legislative business after the General Assembly adjourns Thursday. The proposal required a two-thirds majority to proceed and failed after several Republicans joined Democrats in opposition.
The vote came after days of lobbying from Trump, who publicly and privately urged South Carolina Republicans to revisit the state’s congressional lines following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision involving Louisiana’s congressional map.
“I’m watching closely, along with all Republicans across the Country who are counting on their Elected Leaders to use every Legal and Constitutional authority they have to stop the Radical Left Democrats from destroying our Country,” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social.
But Senate Republican leaders argued that attempting to redraw district boundaries so close to the June primaries would create legal uncertainty, voter confusion and significant logistical problems.
The redistricting effort accelerated last week after House Republicans began advancing legislation aimed at overhauling South Carolina’s congressional map before the 2026 midterm elections.
The push followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling striking down Louisiana’s congressional map as unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. In response, the White House encouraged Republican leaders in South Carolina to reconsider whether the state’s current districts could also be redrawn.
South Carolina currently sends six Republicans and one Democrat to the U.S. House. The lone Democratic seat is held by Jim Clyburn, who has represented the 6th Congressional District since 1992.
A proposed map circulated by House Republicans last week would redraw district boundaries to give Republicans an advantage in all seven congressional districts, according to its authors.
The map was created using “political data” by Adam Kincaid, executive director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust.
Under the proposal, Clyburn would no longer live in the district he has represented for more than three decades.
Legal and election concerns
Opponents of the proposal argued the compressed timeline posed serious legal and administrative risks.
Early voting for South Carolina’s primaries begins May 26, just two weeks away. Election officials said implementing entirely new congressional boundaries before then would require major changes to voter databases, candidate filing procedures and absentee ballot distribution.
Conway Belangia warned lawmakers that election staff would face enormous pressure to meet federal deadlines for overseas and military ballots.
“Staff would have to work probably 24 hours a day to meet the deadlines,” Belangia said.
According to the state election commission, more than 8,200 absentee ballots have already been mailed, including hundreds that have already been returned.
The House proposal would delay congressional primaries until Aug. 18 while keeping statewide races, legislative contests and the U.S. Senate primary on the current June schedule. Runoffs for congressional races would take place Sept. 1.
Lawmakers estimated the additional elections could cost taxpayers more than $3 million, excluding local election administration expenses and the cost of the redistricting process itself.
Several senators also questioned whether the proposed map had been adequately vetted.
Luke Rankin, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said lawmakers were effectively being asked to trust outside consultants without sufficient public review or supporting testimony.
“What you think you’re getting may not be what you get,” Rankin said.
The debate revealed a rare split within South Carolina’s Republican leadership, with some lawmakers resisting direct pressure from Trump and national GOP operatives.
Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey argued lawmakers should prioritize the interests of South Carolina voters rather than directives from Washington.
“The states are sovereign independent creatures,” the Edgefield Republican said during debate on the Senate floor.
Massey warned that postponing primaries and invalidating absentee ballots already submitted — particularly by military voters overseas — could depress turnout and generate backlash against Republicans in the general election.
“I’ve got too much Southern in my blood. I’ve got too much resistance in my heritage” to support rushing through a map designed outside South Carolina, Massey said.
Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto echoed concerns about fairness to voters and candidates whose districts could suddenly change.
Republican Sen. Chip Campsen said the timeline made implementation nearly impossible without significant errors.
“It’s almost impossible for us to pull this off, not without a tremendous amount of error added in,” Campsen said.
House hearing draws protests
While the Senate rejected the procedural move, House Republicans continued advancing legislation Tuesday that would authorize new district lines and delay congressional primaries.
A House Judiciary subcommittee voted 3-2 along party lines to move the proposal forward.
The hearing drew vocal protests from opponents gathered inside the Statehouse. Several audience members interrupted proceedings by chanting slogans condemning the redistricting effort before security escorted demonstrators from the room.
Outside the chamber, additional protesters shouted, “Don’t rig our map,” as lawmakers debated the proposal.
Almost every public witness who testified before the House panel opposed the legislation.
Two prominent Republicans running for governor — Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson — supported the effort.
Evette urged lawmakers to follow Trump’s demands.
“Trump has made his expectations unmistakable,” she said. “We must finish this redistricting work now, by any means necessary.”
Wilson defended partisan redistricting while criticizing maps based on race.
“But partisan lines are a very different thing,” Wilson said.
The South Carolina fight reflects growing national battles over congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, as both parties seek advantages in closely divided House races.
The Supreme Court’s recent rulings on voting rights and redistricting have intensified those efforts by reshaping the legal standards governing electoral maps.
Republicans nationally have explored new opportunities to redraw districts in states they control after the court’s Louisiana decision opened the door to additional legal challenges and legislative action.
At the same time, election experts have warned that late-stage map changes risk disrupting voting procedures and undermining public confidence in elections.
Any final proposal would still require approval from both chambers before lawmakers adjourn for the year.
If redistricting legislation ultimately passes, legal challenges are expected almost immediately, particularly over election deadlines, absentee voting procedures and the rapid timeline for implementation.
For now, South Carolina’s congressional primaries remain scheduled for June 9, with early voting set to begin May 26.
