The South Carolina Senate abruptly adjourned on Tuesday without taking up a new congressional map that would have eliminated the state’s lone majority Black district and cemented an entirely Republican delegation.
By refusing to act, lawmakers defied pressure from President Trump and national conservatives to wade into the country’s redistricting wars before the November elections.
A failed effort to stop debate early Tuesday afternoon signaled that with thousands of votes already cast on the first day of early voting, there was no longer enough support among Republicans to push through new district lines before the June 9 primary. Instead, the State Senate agreed to adjourn, effectively punting votes on a new map until after the primary.
The vote ensures that for now, South Carolina will remain among the outliers in the South, as other Republican-led states have raced to respond to the Supreme Court’s weakening of the Voting Rights Act by diluting districts where a majority of Black voters have repeatedly elected Democrats.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
