Today was to be the last day of the Legislative Session for the SC General Assembly. Fortunately for the grassroots fighters in the SC GOP, Governor Henry McMaster has called the South Carolina General Assembly back into a special session to address congressional redistricting. This is not only a response to the grassroots, but a response to President Trump’s effort to strengthen Republican representation in the U.S. House ahead of the next census.
After the Senate blocked a resolution on the issue earlier this week1, McMaster stepped in. The House is set to reconvene on Friday, May 15, 2026, with the Senate returning on Monday, May 18.
Key developments
A proposed map backed by Trump allies and House Speaker Murrell Smith aims for a potential 7-0 GOP sweep of the state’s congressional seats (opponents argue it may yield 6-1 or 5-2 at best).
The plan also includes moving the congressional primary to August 18, 2026. This should not change the June 9 date for statewide and local elections.
Senate supporters believe they have the votes for passage with a simple majority.
This move aligns South Carolina with other GOP-led states working to maximize Republican strength in Congress. The story is developing—stay tuned for further updates from the session.
- Saluda County’s Legislative Delegation’s votes: Senator Billy Garrett and Representative Cal Forrest voted FOR redistricting. Senator Shane Massey and Representative Bill Clyburn voted NO. ↩︎
