South Carolina’s effort to redraw its congressional map appears to be over — at least for now.
State senators voted Tuesday not to advance a new map that would have eliminated South Carolina’s only majority-Black congressional district.
The proposal was backed by President Donald Trump and had passed the state House. But several Republican state senators ultimately joined Democrats in opposition, with some arguing it was too late to make changes after early voting began Tuesday.
Democratic Rep. James Clyburn would have seen his district dramatically reshaped under the proposal, likely costing him his seat. He joined WFAE's Nick de la Canal to share his reaction after the vote.
Nick de la Canal: So, this proposal would have directly affected your district, but I was struck by something that you told reporters after the vote. You said Republican senators weren't joining Democrats so much as "maintaining their principles." Why do you see this vote that way?
James Clyburn: Well, we have certain principles in this country guided by the Constitution of the United States. And two years ago, this district went before the Supreme Court. The United States Supreme Court said it was, in fact, constitutionally drawn.
But the White House decided to heck with all of that. We want to get rid of the majority-Black 6th Congressional District.
Well, in the first place, my district is not majority Black. It is a 45% African American district and according to the census, 43% white. So, where is that a racial gerrymander?
So I think that what these senators were doing was standing by the principles of redistricting as well as the Constitution. And it's not anything to do with Jim Clyburn.
De la Canal: Supporters of this map said that they were simply trying to strengthen Republican representation in Washington, but you've said these efforts are part of a new Jim Crow and an effort to dilute Black voting power.
Clyburn: Because that's what it is. I'm telling you, I started delving into politics when I was 8 years old. I know racism when I see it. I know it when I hear it. I know it when I feel it.
And I've been a part of the efforts to desegregate this country ever since the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision.
And so this is not about Republican partisanship. This is about MAGA. And for people to pretend that it's something else, it is a bunch of ignorance.
De la Canal: This effort was part of a broader national push by President Trump to have Republican-led states redraw districts ahead of the midterms. What does it say to you that Republican senators in South Carolina ultimately resisted that pressure?
Clyburn: Because fundamentally, South Carolinians have a tremendous, very broad independent streak.
And they do not wish to be dictated to. They do not wish to be made pawns. And the majority of this Senate — and a lot of them decided to go public with it.
De la Canal: That said, this fight probably isn't over. South Carolina leaders have already suggested that they could revisit redistricting in future elections. What would you want to see happen next? And what lessons do you think lawmakers should take away from how this unfolded?
Clyburn: I want to see the legislature open up a map room. Tell the public, if you're interested in what is happening to your community, come in and take a look at the map room.
That's the way we've done it before, and the process took two years the last time. Here's a process that was supposed to take two weeks because it's coming from on high.
De la Canal: Now finally, you are seeking an 18th term. After all these decades in politics, did anything about this episode surprise you?
Clyburn: No. A lot of it disappointed me, but no, I wasn't surprised at anything.
South Carolinians carry with them a certain amount of decency and respect for each other. That's why I was not surprised at the state Senate doing what it did, because it was a very undignified way to do things, and they resented that.
