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South Carolina House Committee Advances Bid for Congressional Redistricting

by | May 7, 2026 | Top Ten

The GOP-led committee moved to reshape the state’s U.S. House map ahead of the 2026 midterm election.

Another State Moves to Redraw Congressional MapSouth Carolina House Republicans voted on May 6 to open the door to redrawing the state’s congressional map in a Southern push for mid-decade reconsiderations after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on minority voting protections.

The vote, which passed along party lines, would enable lawmakers to return after the regular session ends and draw updated boundaries for the state’s seven U.S. House districts.

Republicans hold six of the state’s seven U.S. House seats. Democrats have protected Clyburn’s Sixth District through previous maps. Clyburn, first elected in 1992, has represented the Sixth District for 33 years.

The resolution needs a two-thirds vote in both chambers to authorize the redistricting. House Republicans, who hold a supermajority, moved the bill forward despite objections from Democrats.

In recent months, states controlled by both parties have looked to change maps before the 2026 midterms, which are usually redrawn once every 10 years after the census.
Texas, North Carolina, California, and others had already passed or were pursuing new congressional lines. The National Conference of State Legislatures has reported on increased redistricting efforts at a pace not seen since the 1800s.
South Carolina’s move follows the Supreme Court decision that changed how courts review claims involving racial considerations in district drawing. Public records from the South Carolina General Assembly show the current map was enacted following the 2020 census and withstood previous legal challenges.

House leaders implied plans to introduce a new map in short order if the resolution passes the Senate. The measure would make way for a special session on congressional boundaries. Senate approval is not a sure thing, with certain Republican senators holding reservations about disrupting the primary calendar or risking new competitive districts.

In North Carolina, Republicans passed a map in October 2025, intent on shifting a seat toward the GOP. Texas lawmakers sought gains via redistricting. Meanwhile, in California, Democrats responded with a referendum initiative, Proposition 50, that would temporarily revise the state’s congressional districts to the GOP’s disadvantage.

South Carolina’s Sixth District, long drawn to ensure opportunities for minority voters under the Voting Rights Act, has been at the center of attention. Jim Clyburn faces an 18th-term bid. Redrawing could impact Democratic voters.

Gov. Henry McMaster has signaled he is open to lawmakers reviewing the maps, according to public statements referenced in legislative discussions. South Carolina joins Alabama, Tennessee, and others in Southern states considering redistricting.

State Rep. Justin Bamberg (D-District 90) said he felt sorry for Republicans who he said were giving up their principles to follow the whims of President Donald Trump.

“The president of the United States is a very powerful man. Wields a heavy, heavy thumb—Truth Social, X, Meta, Instagram. To be honest I don’t envy our Republican colleagues,” Bamberg said.

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