South Carolina Republicans dealt a stunning rebuke to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, blocking a last-minute effort to redraw the state's congressional map just as early voting was beginning for the June primary.
The GOP-controlled state Senate voted against advancing the new district lines, killing what had been an accelerated push to reshape the political landscape before the midterm elections. The House had already approved the map the previous week, but the Senate's rejection ended the effort for now.
Trump had been actively pushing lawmakers to pass the redrawn map, which would have eliminated South Carolina's only majority-Black congressional district, currently represented by longtime Democratic Representative James Clyburn. But the timing proved fatal to the measure.
Republican state Sen. Richard Cash was among those who reversed course, citing the fact that early voting had already commenced for the June primary election. "Neither my conscience nor my common sense will allow me to stop an election that is already underway," Cash said.
The collapse exposed deep rifts within the GOP's own ranks. State Sen. Tom Davis delivered a scathing critique of the entire process, pointing out that an earlier redistricting effort had taken nine months of deliberation. This latest push, by contrast, had moved forward in just weeks and relied on outside consultants.
"We have completely outsourced our constitutional obligation to prepare a congressional redistricting map to a consultant in Washington, D.C. We have no idea, no idea how that map was created," Davis said.
Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey had opposed the effort from the start, warning that a weakened Democratic Party ultimately weakens Republicans. "I believe that our state is stronger with vibrant parties," Massey said during the special session. "We are stronger when we have a clash of ideas and we can discuss those policy goals. Republicans are stronger when the Democrat Party is vibrant and viable."
The state Senate had initially refused to take up the redistricting measure during its regular session earlier this month. Only after pressure from the White House and national Republican figures did Gov. Henry McMaster convene a special session to reconsider the map.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "When GOP lawmakers start lecturing the White House about constitutional process and competitive politics, you know the White House overplayed its hand."
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