COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Early in-person voting began on Tuesday in South Carolina's primaries, while state senators rejected a Republican proposal to cancel congressional votes and schedule a new primary under revised districts. This decision came as President Donald Trump's efforts to reshape congressional districts faced challenges, including a federal court blocking a Republican-backed map in Alabama. Republican state Sen. Richard Cash stated that it was too late to make changes, emphasizing that citizens were already voting.
The political situation in South Carolina is part of a broader Republican strategy to redraw voting districts to gain an advantage in the upcoming midterm elections. This strategy follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened protections under the federal Voting Rights Act. In Alabama, a federal panel issued a preliminary injunction against a Republican-drawn congressional map, citing intentional discrimination based on race.
Democrats have reacted positively to the developments in Alabama, with Marina Jenkins, executive director of the National Redistricting Foundation, highlighting ongoing efforts against gerrymandering that undermines equal representation for communities of color.
Redistricting typically occurs after a census, but Trump has encouraged Republican-led states to redraw districts ahead of the elections to mitigate potential losses. Since last summer, Republicans have enacted new House districts in several states, while Democrats have also seen successes in California and Utah. However, setbacks occurred in Virginia and ongoing discussions are taking place in Louisiana regarding redistricting.
The Congressional Black Caucus has called on corporations to oppose redistricting efforts that threaten majority-Black districts. On the first day of early voting in South Carolina, over 26,000 votes were cast by noon, with U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn among the first to vote, asserting his intent to run for reelection regardless of potential district changes. The Republican-led House had previously passed a plan to reconfigure Clyburn's district and hold new primaries in August, but debate in the Senate faced opposition from Democrats and concerns from some Republicans about potential electoral risks.
