Tennessee Republicans breezed through a last minute redistricting on Thursday, eliminating one Democratic district. South Carolina and Louisiana Republicans are up next.
Overall, Republicans across the South could easily add three new red districts this month, plus one more if the Supreme Court greenlights Alabama’s plans to redraw.
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) saw GOP lawmakers on Thursday shred his Memphis-based district into three. That map sailed through both chambers of the Republican-dominated legislature, despite some angry protests, and snagged Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s signature.
In South Carolina, it may not be so easy. Republican legislators there were circulating a map that erased the district of Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.). A South Carolina House committee plans to consider the proposal today. But the South Carolina Senate could pose a roadblock.
State Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey has said he’s very skeptical of redistricting. The House passed a resolution to extend the legislative session to tackle new maps. But the state Senate adjourned for the week without considering that resolution, meaning they won’t consider it until next week at the earliest.
South Carolina isn’t Tennessee. It is more challenging to draw a new map with seven Republicans and no Democrats (the current map is 6R-1D) that doesn’t endanger GOP incumbents in a strong Democratic year. Which doesn’t mean that South Carolina Republicans won’t redistrict, but it does make it harder to get everyone on board. See this tweet from Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) as prime evidence.
Louisiana lawmakers will take public comments on redistricting today before they move ahead with a new map.
But state Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, the chair of a key legislative committee, indicated his committee would favor a map with one majority-Black seat based in Baton Rouge. That’s good news for Rep. Cleo Fields (D-La.) but could spell trouble for Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.).
Waiting on Virginia. Both parties are anxiously awaiting a ruling in Virginia on the legality of the state’s recent redistricting referendum. That’s unrelated to the fall of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, but no less consequential.
At stake are four new blue districts that Democrats desperately need to help them even up the redistricting scoreboard. A decision could come any day.
