The South Carolina Senate rejected a new U.S. congressional map on May 26 that could have eliminated the only Democratic seat in the state ahead of the midterms.
It is currently held by Rep. Jim Clyburn.
The Republican-led chamber rejected a motion to proceed to the bill 20–24 after it cleared the state House 74–37 on May 20.
Twenty-six votes were needed for the motion to pass.
The failed effort is a loss for President Donald Trump and his supporters, who have pushed for southern states to redistrict following a Supreme Court decision that struck down a second black-majority district in Louisiana.
State Sen. Richard Cash, a Republican, said that early voting was already underway and therefore he would vote against redistricting.
“Neither my conscience nor my common sense will allow me to stop an election that is already underway,” he said on the Senate floor.
Some GOP opposition lingered in the chamber on May 23 as State Sen. George E. "Chip" Campsen III, a Republican who spent half a year drawing the map that was supposed to be in effect in 2026, suggested that the courts would reject a new U.S. Congressional map this summer due to the rushed process.
On May 23, Senate Democrats introduced 43 amendments to the bill which prompted discussions about the potential $6 million price tag it would cost election officials to remap the state in time.
State senators discussed other proposals regarding whether redistricting the state this close to an election would impact which ballots military members overseas received.
They also debated a pitch that would have required them to meet on Sunday and Memorial Day, which came with strong opposition.
Longtime-Democratic Sen. Darrell Jackson questioned why lawmakers should be required to come to work on a Sunday for redistricting talks even though they never met on a Sunday to address previous issues such as a 100 year flood, a “crashing economy,” drought, and a massacre in Charleston.
In a statement, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson expressed disappointment in the result.
“South Carolina had an opportunity to finally give voters in the 6th Congressional District a fairer and more competitive map. I have said all along that our state has both the authority and the responsibility to fix it,” he posted on X.
“This fight is not over,” he added.
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette criticized the state Senate.
“The South Carolina State Senate failed the people of South Carolina today. While President Trump is delivering on his America First agenda and Making America Great Again, the State Senate failed to deliver a strong redistricting map that reflects the conservative values of our state,” she said in a statement.
Evette argued that the Senate is refusing to take action and is instead preserving the current political system, despite voters rejecting progressive policies. She criticized Republicans for not pushing harder to achieve conservative goals and warned that conservative voters will hold accountable those seen as failing to act decisively.
South Carolina Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey was one of the Republicans opposed to the redistricting effort.
“I believe that our state is stronger with vibrant parties. I think we, as a whole, are stronger when we have a clash of ideas. I think that’s true at the national level. I think it’s true at the state level. We are stronger when we have a clash of ideas and we can discuss those policy goals,” Massey said on May 12.
“Republicans are stronger when the Democrat Party is vibrant and viable.”