South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster plans to call a special legislative session to redraw the state House district map, setting up Republicans to pass a new 7-0 congressional plan that would cement their dominance in the chamber.
The move comes after the state's current 6-1 Republican advantage faces potential legal challenges over district boundaries. McMaster's decision to convene lawmakers for redistricting reflects GOP confidence that they can lock in a more favorable map before the next election cycle.
The proposed 7-0 map would give Republicans all seven of South Carolina's congressional seats, eliminating the single Democratic seat currently held and consolidating Republican control of the state's federal delegation. This represents a hardening of the party's advantage in a state that has trended increasingly Republican over the past decade.
The special session signals McMaster's commitment to maximizing Republican gains during redistricting. State House Republicans have already signaled support for the plan, giving the governor a clear path to passage without significant obstruction from the Democratic minority.
Democrats are expected to challenge the new map as gerrymandering that dilutes Black voting power and violates the Voting Rights Act. The party has lost ground in South Carolina's congressional delegation for years as the state's politics have shifted rightward, particularly in rural and suburban areas.
The timing matters. Redrawing districts now locks in advantages for multiple election cycles and makes it harder for Democrats to recapture lost ground. The map would reshape electoral math across the state, likely making several districts safer for Republican incumbents and complicating Democratic recruitment efforts.
McMaster's move reflects broader national trends where governors and state legislatures use redistricting authority to entrench partisan control. The special session will test whether South Carolina Republicans can achieve the 7-0 outcome they seek or face legal obstacles from federal courts reviewing the map under voting rights protections.