Clyburn Warns Republicans on Redistricting Effort Targeting His South Carolina Seat

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., cautioned Republicans to be "very careful what you pray for" as Republican South Carolina state lawmakers pursue a Trump-backed effort to redraw the state's congressional map. The plan targets Clyburn, the state's only Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Known as a kingmaker in the Democratic Party, Clyburn endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race, a move credited with helping Biden win the White House. He has served in Congress for more than 30 years but now faces uncertainty after the state legislature voted Wednesday to consider redrawing the congressional lines.

In a CNN "State of the Union" interview, Clyburn said he expects to win an 18th term. He added that Republican success in redistricting could lead to at least three Democrats elected to Congress from the state.

"I don’t know why people think I could not get re-elected if they redistrict South Carolina," Clyburn said. "I have a district that’s about 45% African American. I have no idea what the number will be after the legislature finishes, but whatever that number is, I will be running on my record and America’s promise."

On Thursday, Clyburn posted on X that Republicans in the state legislature started extending their session to redraw the congressional map with the goal of eliminating the state's only Democratic House district held by a Democrat.

"This fight is bigger than one district," he wrote. "It’s about whether our democracy belongs to the people, or to politicians who change the rules when they don’t like the results."

A Clyburn spokesperson referred to the congressman's X posts for further comment.

The legislature's vote followed a Supreme Court ruling last month in Louisiana v. Callais. In a 6-3 decision, the court found Louisiana's creation of a second majority-Black district unconstitutional, setting stricter criteria for race-based districts under the Voting Rights Act.

"This decision threatens to send our country deeper into the thicket of never-ending redistricting fights, with repeated aggressive map redraws, protracted legal battles, and relentless partisan tugs-of-war, all of which are destined to result in more regressive court decisions," Clyburn said.

"This court seems hellbent on redeeming the post-Reconstruction America that neutered the 1875 Civil Rights Act and other legislative and judicial actions that drastically limited Black participation and achievement, and eliminated African American political representation in multiple Southern states," he added.

On Friday, a South Carolina House subcommittee voted 3-2 to advance a bill delaying the June 9 primary by two months. The move aims to allow time to pass a redrawn map that would give Republicans a 7-0 House edge. State Election Commission Executive Director Conway Belangia told The State the process would prove difficult and confuse voters.

The commission noted that more than 6,000 absentee ballots have gone out to military and overseas voters for the June primary, with over 200 returned.

The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on redistricting. Belangia estimated costs of $2.2 million to $2.5 million to shift the primary to August. House members proposed $2 million in next year's budget for expected litigation.

South Carolina Republicans' map redraw is the latest GOP-led state effort to revise districts and hold House majorities after the midterms.