After the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, Republican-led governments across the South have been moving quickly to eliminate predominantly Black congressional districts. This trend of racial gerrymandering has, at least for now, hit its first major roadblock, with South Carolina’s GOP failing to push through a redistricting effort targeting the state’s only Black member of Congress.

South Carolina redistricting plan defeated as Republicans defect

Republicans in South Carolina’s State Senate failed Tuesday to push forward a plan to redistrict the state and eliminate its only Democratic and predominantly Black congressional district.

The GOP was attempting to extend the current legislative session in order to allow time to redistrict the state ahead of June’s primary election. The resolution to extend the session passed the South Carolina House, but the effort fell short of the required two-thirds majority needed in the State Senate. Five Republican state senators voted with Democrats to shoot down the measure.

South Carolina State Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, one of the Republicans voting against the measure, defended his vote in an extended speech on the Senate floor.

“I believe that our state is stronger with vibrant parties. I think we, as a whole, are stronger when we have a clash of ideas. I think that’s true at the national level. I think it’s true at the state level. We are stronger when we have a clash of ideas and we can discuss those policy goals.”

Massey added, “Republicans are stronger when the Democrat Party is vibrant and viable. We are. Competition makes you better, y’all.”

Republicans race to redistrict after Voting Rights Act gutted

The defeat of the South Carolina redistricting push is the first major setback for Republicans in their ongoing effort at racial gerrymandering.

The wave of redistricting follows a Supreme Court decision that essentially gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The ruling in the case Louisiana v. Callais allowed that state to eliminate its second majority-Black congressional district.

Immediately after the ruling, Louisiana’s Republican Governor Jeff Landry halted an ongoing primary election in order to redraw the state’s district lines.

Tennessee Republicans have already pushed through a redistricting measure that carves up the Memphis area, eliminating the state’s only majority-Black congressional district.

Other Republican-controlled states in the South are also pushing redistricting efforts with President Donald Trump’s backing. Prior to Tuesday’s vote in the South Carolina State Senate, Trump posted on social media: “South Carolina Republicans: BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS, just like the Republicans of the Great State of Tennessee were last week!”

Plan to eliminate Rep. James Clyburn’s seat paused, for now

A partisan redistricting effort in South Carolina would eliminate the state’s only predominantly Black district and endanger the career of Rep. James Clyburn, the only Democrat currently representing the state in Congress.

Earlier this week, Clyburn expressed confidence that he could win reelection even if gerrymandering occurred, while also warning Republicans that their plans could backfire by diluting Republican votes as well.

The defeat of the South Carolina resolution for an extended legislative session makes it more difficult for Republicans to redistrict the state, but it does not preclude other avenues toward that goal, such as Republican Gov. Henry McMaster calling a special session for the redistricting effort.

In a social media post made after the failed Senate vote, McMaster did not mention the idea of a special session but stated, “The General Assembly still has two full days in which to finish its important work, including giving full consideration — as sought by the people — to the important question of redistricting.”

The Republican redistricting effort is likely to continue across the South, with GOP-led states curtailing or eliminating predominantly Black districts.

The move to redistrict South Carolina may continue, but for now, Democrats and a handful of Republicans in that state have pumped the brakes on the GOP plan to wipe out Black congressional districts ahead of this year’s midterm elections.