South Carolina Republicans press toward House vote on congressional redistricting plan

Republicans in the South Carolina House moved forward with a congressional redistricting plan on Tuesday, overriding Democratic objections to reshape the state’s sole Democratic-held U.S. House district. The proposal, supported by President Donald Trump, aims to secure an additional GOP seat in the November midterm elections as part of a broader national effort to maintain the party’s slim House majority. To accommodate the new map, the legislation removes U.S. House races from the June 9 primaries, replacing them with a special primary in August. Some absentee and overseas military votes already cast for Congress would be invalidated under the plan. Democrats repeatedly raised concerns during the debate, with state Rep. JA Moore calling the process wrong despite Republican rejections of amendments. The NAACP responded by urging a boycott of public university athletic programs in states—including South Carolina—where voting representation for Black communities is being restricted. The campaign targets Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas, though redistricting has not yet been finalized in all of them. South Carolina’s Republican-controlled House altered procedural rules on Tuesday, limiting amendments and speech times after hours of Democratic debate the prior day. State Rep. Beth Bernstein proposed a voter education initiative, but it was dismissed. The redistricting push follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down Louisiana’s majority-Black district, weakening protections under the Voting Rights Act. Alabama and Louisiana have already postponed primaries or voided votes to redraw districts, with Alabama canceling results in four of seven U.S. House districts and holding new primaries on August 11. Republicans in seven states could gain up to 15 additional House seats, while Democrats might gain six in two states, though litigation could alter these projections. The NAACP’s boycott call highlights broader tensions over voting rights and political representation in the wake of redistricting changes.