A measure to force a vote on redistricting failed the South Carolina state Senate on Tuesday after five Republican lawmakers defied President Trump and voted with Democrats against the redistricting effort.
“We are the most gerrymandered Republican state in the country already,” South Carolina Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey (R), who voted against redistricting, argued in the state capitol.
Massey argued that other states that voted to redistrict this year, including Florida, are just catching up to South Carolina’s current level of GOP dominance — and that more gerrymandering isn’t necessary.
The Palmetto State’s congressional delegation is currently 6-1 in favor of Republicans.
Redistricting supporters sought to redraw longtime Rep. Jim Clyburn’s (D-SC) district to make it more competitive for Republicans.
Some GOP opponents of the redistricting plan feared it could backfire, by pushing just enough Democrats from Clyburn’s district into others, thereby making more districts competitive for Democrats.
Republican state Sens. Sean Bennett, Chip Campsen, Tom Davis and Greg Hembree joined Massey in voting against the measure.
The Senate was two votes short of the two-thirds needed to pursue redistricting. Senators could try again before the legislative session ends Thursday.
Ahead of the “big vote,” President Trump noted on Truth Social that he would be “watching closely.”
“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!” the president demanded.
Trump exacted revenge against incumbent Republican state senators in Indiana last week, who similarly torpedoed a redistricting push in the Hoosier state.
The president endorsed a slate of GOP primary challengers and his preferred candidates won five of six contests, with one race still too close to call.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who is running for governor in the Palmetto State, expressed disbelief about the state senate vote.
“Never thought I’d see ‘Republican’ legislators in the South Carolina Senate defending race-based gerrymandering – but here we are,” Mace said in a statement.
“We need a Governor who the statehouse will fear and listen to,” she argued. “You know I’d whip every single ‘NO’ vote into shape if I was Governor.”
