Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: A bid to redraw South Carolina’s congressional map and eliminate the state’s sole Democratic US House district failed in the state Senate on May 12, when a handful of Republicans broke with President Donald Trump and voted against the effort.
The outcome likely means that US Representative Jim Clyburn, a Black Democrat with broad influence within the party, will retain his seat in November’s midterm elections. Republican Governor Henry McMaster could call a special legislative session to consider redistricting but has thus far resisted the idea. Meanwhile, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld a Republican-backed map that eliminated one of the state’s two Democratic seats.
Republicans are vying to protect their razor-thin US House of Representatives majority in November. Several Republican-controlled southern states have rushed to take advantage of the court’s decision. Tennessee passed a new map splitting up a majority-Black district, while Louisiana and Alabama postponed their primary elections for the US House of Representatives so Republican lawmakers have time to draw new maps. Black voters typically support Democrats.
