South Carolina Senate rejects redistricting map; Clyburn’s gerrymandered seat safe

by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News May 26, 2026

Claiming it was too late to re-draw the state’s congressional districts, Republicans in the South Carolina state Senate on Tuesday rejected the redistricting map that was passed last week by the Republican-led state House.

Democrat Rep. James Clyburn’s seat is essentially safe after Republicans in the South Carolina state Senate derailed redistricting. / Video Image

Over the weekend, the state Senate advanced the redistricting map that would eliminate the racially gerrymandered 6th Congressional District held for 33 years by Democrat Rep. James Clyburn.

On Tuesday, a cloture vote to force debate failed. Thanks to South Carolina state Senate Republicans, Clyburn’s seat is safe.

“Neither my conscience nor my common sense will allow me to stop an election that is already underway,” said Republican state Sen. Richard Cash, who changed his vote at the last minute.

Early voting began Tuesday for the scheduled June 9 primary. As part of its effort, lawmakers in South Carolina’s state House sought to set another primary election for the affected districts in August.

President Donald Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social last week said he was watching South Carolina closely:

“The South Carolina State Senate has a big vote tomorrow on Redistricting.

“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, including leveling the playing field against their decades of egregious Gerrymandering and Census Rigging.

“South Carolina Republicans: BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS, just like the Republicans of the Great State of Tennessee were last week! Move the U.S. House Primaries to August, leave the rest on the same schedule. Everything will be fine. GET IT DONE! President DONALD J. TRUMP”.

NBC News reported on Tuesday that “advisers close to the White House — which has pressed Republicans across the country to pass new maps over the past year to shore up the party’s narrow House majority — said they were caught off guard by the failed vote in the South Carolina Senate, with one calling it a ‘betrayal.’ ”

The NBC report also cited the advisers as saying that the White House was not given a heads up about the vote from South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, which they would have expected if votes were changing. The person said they were alerted by Attorney General Alan Wilson and “a couple” of state senators.

All members of the South Carolina state Senate are up for re-election in 2028.

In December of last year, the Indiana state Senate rejected a redrawn congressional map.

Trump exacted revenge earlier this month, successfully backing five primary challengers to the Indiana Republicans who voted against redistricting.

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