South Carolina Governor Calls Special Session for GOP-Favored Congressional Map
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster is planning to convene a special session for state lawmakers to discuss a new congressional map that heavily favors Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey confirmed the plan to call lawmakers back for the session. The move follows a previous attempt to extend the legislative calendar for mid-decade redistricting, which was blocked by a bipartisan group of senators.
Pressure from former President Trump has pushed the GOP-controlled legislature to redraw the congressional lines to benefit Republicans in all seven U.S. House districts. Trump urged South Carolina Republicans to follow the example of Tennessee Republicans and make bold changes to the primary schedule. The proposed map specifically targets the district currently held by Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn, the only Democrat in the state's congressional delegation.
Governor McMaster's reported decision to call a special session represents a shift from his previous stance of leaving the redistricting issue to the legislature. By convening a special session, Republicans could bypass the two-thirds vote needed for the rejected agreement and pass a new map with a simple majority. However, the timing of the session could impact the upcoming primary elections, as military and absentee ballots have already been sent out.
Efforts to advance a redistricting bill in the South Carolina House committee indicate ongoing discussions about redrawing the lines and potentially rescheduling the primary elections for mid-August. The situation underscores the political maneuvering surrounding redistricting in the state and the implications for the upcoming elections.