South Carolina Republicans defy Trump, rejecting his call to redraw congressional map

South Carolina Republicans have again rebuffed former President Donald Trump's push to rapidly redraw the state's congressional voting map. On May 26, 2026, the state Senate rejected the proposed changes during a special legislative session, effectively ending the effort to implement a new map before the upcoming elections.

The move came as early in-person voting was already underway for the state's June 9 primary elections, with senators citing the impracticality of altering districts mid-election cycle. The rejected plan aimed to eliminate the state's only Democratic-held congressional district, currently represented by U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn, in an effort to secure a potential 7-0 advantage for Republicans. A bipartisan group of state senators, including several Republicans, joined Democrats in blocking the measure, with some expressing concerns about the rushed process and external pressure to pass the map.