The debate over South Carolina’s congressional districts has re-ignited, with new calls to redraw the state’s political map. This push comes despite a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on the matter and with a separate case still pending before the state’s highest court.
Leading the charge for new maps is Republican Congressman Ralph Norman, who is running for governor. Norman has publicly stated that if elected, he would urge the state legislature to redraw the congressional map to create a 7-0 Republican delegation. This would effectively eliminate the state’s only Democratic-held seat, currently represented by long-time Congressman Jim Clyburn.
This renewed effort to redistrict is separate from the recent legal battle over the state’s 1st Congressional District. In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a lower court’s finding that the district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, ruling 6-3 that the map was drawn along partisan, not racial, lines. The high court’s decision allowed the map to remain in place for the 2024 elections.
However, a new challenge is now before the South Carolina Supreme Court. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the League of Women Voters of South Carolina have filed a lawsuit arguing that the state constitution forbids partisan gerrymandering. The lawsuit cites statements from state lawmakers who admitted to drawing the 2022 map with the goal of “pulling the First red” to entrench a 6-1 Republican majority.
Opponents of a new redistricting effort, including Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, have expressed strong reservations. Massey has noted that the state is already facing a lawsuit and that attempting another redraw could violate the Voting Rights Act. He also highlighted that with a 6-1 Republican advantage, the current map already reflects the state’s political reality.
The timing of any potential changes is also in question. Lawmakers are not scheduled to return to the State House until January, meaning any discussions about new maps would likely have to wait until then.
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