(The Center Square) – Congressional primaries scheduled June 9 in South Carolina could be shifted to August amid a push for a new map.
The Legislature’s scheduled end of session on Thursday was extended to Friday through a special call ordered by Gov. Henry McMaster, with a new congressional map the primary reason. The House of Representatives is poised to take up a bill on it.
Debate could last multiple weeks, and Memorial Day weekend is a week away.
At risk in the redraw would be the seat of 17th term Democratic U.S. Rep. James Clyburn. The state has two Republicans in the Senate and six Republicans in the U.S. House, plus Clyburn in the 6th Congressional District that touches Columbia, Charleston and the state border near Savannah, Ga.
Clyburn’s 86th birthday is July 21.
On social media Monday, second-term Republican President Donald Trump encouraged the South Carolina Republicans to be “bold and courageous” like Tennessee. He asked for the U.S. House primaries to shift to August, leaving all other primaries on schedule.
“Everything will be fine,” he wrote. “Get it done!”
State Senate majority leader Shane Massey is among five from the Grand Old Party not in favor of the redraw.
In a floor speech, he said in part, “I believe that our state is stronger with vibrant parties. I think we, as a whole, are stronger when we have a clash of ideas. I think that’s true at the national level. I think it’s true at the state level. Republicans are stronger when the Democrat Party is vibrant and viable.”
Republican majorities are 34-12 in the state Senate and 88-36 in the House of Representatives. Senators are elected to four-year terms and Democrats last had majority following the 1996 election. House representatives are elected to two-year terms and Democrats last had majority following the 1992 election.
Gov. Jim Hodges (1999-2003) was the last Democrat in the governor’s office and his party’s only winner since Gov. Richard Wilson Riley won in 1978 and 1882.
