My SC House Representative Cal Forrest called me just before they took up redistricting in the recently called Special Session. He asked me my opinion, while also cautioning me that with 40% Democrats in SC, we could actually end up with two Democrat Representatives rather than our current one.
I had not really looked at the proposed new map, so I told him I would get back to him. I knew for a fact that our current map was a racial gerrymander and, thus, unconstitutional according to the US Supreme Court, but after careful thought and even considering the risk, I called him back with my opinion: We cannot proceed with a clearly unconstitutional map. Vote for a properly drawn map that considers contiguous areas and equal population, and let the chips fall where they may.
Cal voted for the new map, and it easily passed in the House. Just before it was sent over to the Senate, Billy Garrett, my state Senator called me too, as he did all the other GOP chairmen of the counties he represented. I appreciated his call and repeated my opinion to him.
Although the measure did not pass in the Senate (mainly thanks to another Saluda State Senator, Shane Massey, but that is another story) I know it will come up again before 2028. So, we all need to begin educating ourselves on the redistricting issue now.
When “Fair Maps” Don’t Deliver the Results Democrats Expect
Democrats love to complain about “gerrymandering.” Every time Republicans draw congressional district lines, they scream that it’s unfair and rigged. They say we need independent experts or computers to draw the maps instead.
Okay—let’s take them up on that idea. Imagine a completely neutral artificial intelligence with no political data, no racial data, and no agenda. It only follows simple, common-sense rules:
- Districts must be connected (contiguous—no jumping over water or unrelated areas).
- Each district must have roughly the same number of people.
- Districts should be compact and sensible in shape (no weird snake-like lines).
Republicans are more spread out across suburbs, small towns, and rural areas. They win more districts by comfortable but not crazy margins, like 55% to 60%.
When you draw normal, compact districts, those big Democratic majorities “waste” a lot of votes in a handful of super-blue districts. Meanwhile, Republican voters fill up more districts just enough to win them. It’s not cheating—it’s simple math based on where people choose to live.
What the Research Actually Shows
Top researchers have tested this with computers. They ran thousands of simulations using strict fair rules (equal population, connected areas, nice shapes). No politics allowed. Here’s what keeps happening: In states like Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and others, the “perfectly fair” maps still give Republicans several extra seats compared to the share of votes they get nationwide.
Even when the total national vote is close to 50-50, Democrats end up with fewer seats because so many of their votes are piled into those big-city districts.
This isn’t a secret. Studies from universities and groups across the political spectrum confirm it. The natural way Americans are spread out already creates an advantage for Republicans under fair rules.
What About Race and “Fairness”?
Democrats often push to draw districts specifically to help certain racial groups, which usually helps them elect more Democrats. But even when researchers ignore race completely and just focus on simple shapes and population, the overall Republican edge remains.
The big-city clustering effect doesn’t disappear.
Democrats Do It Too—When They Can
Here’s the hypocrisy: When Democrats control state legislatures, they draw maps to help themselves (look at Illinois or their attempts in New York). Their real complaint isn’t about fairness. It’s about losing. They only call it “rigged” when the maps don’t help them win. Republicans won more state legislatures fairly in recent years, so they got to draw more maps. That’s how democracy works—not some grand conspiracy.
Why This Is Good News for Republicans
The truth is simple: Americans have sorted themselves geographically. More people living outside dense cities tend to vote Republican. Compact, fair districts respect real communities—counties, towns, and neighborhoods—instead of drawing crazy lines to force artificial results. If Democrats truly want “independent” redistricting with no bias, Republicans should welcome it. The maps won’t suddenly turn the House blue. They’ll reflect reality, and that reality favors a Republican majority.
Next time you hear Democrats demand “fair maps,” just remember: An honest computer using basic rules wouldn’t create a perfect split. It would draw sensible districts that deliver Republican control of the House—because that’s how the American people have actually placed themselves on the map.
That’s not rigging the system. That’s letting the system work as it should.
Read More Here: The ALARM Project
