The South Carolina Senate voted 26-18 on Tuesday to reject a proposal to redraw the state's congressional districts. This move ends a last-minute redistricting effort backed by President Donald Trump, which aimed to create more Republican-friendly lines to help the GOP gain an extra seat.
The bid sought to remake maps before the midterms and for the 2026 election to reduce Democratic voters in Congressman Jim Clyburn’s district. Trump had urged lawmakers to redistrict to help flip the House seat held by the prominent Democrat as part of a broader Republican strategy to redraw voting districts to the party's advantage.
While the proposal passed the South Carolina House on May 20 after two days of long debate, state senators were more skeptical. Several Republican state senators broke with their party to vote with Democrats. These Republican senators do not face election this year.
The rejection of the new map in South Carolina occurs as judges strike down newly drawn US House districts in Alabama.