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FIRST ON REPORTER: Representative Ralph Norman from South Carolina is urging his state to take action on the issue of congressional maps, specifically focusing on the lone Democrat in his delegation.
Norman expressed to Reporter Digital his desire for the South Carolina General Assembly to revise its district boundaries, aligning them more closely with the state’s Republican majorities in the statehouse and state Senate.
“Given the Republican supermajorities in South Carolina, we should leverage them to introduce more competition in our congressional districts. I am confident that Republicans can succeed in every part of our state,” Norman stated.
Norman, who is currently a candidate for governor, believes that reshaping South Carolina’s House seats would make them “more competitive” and shift the House delegation from 6-1 to 7-0.
“This move would bolster Republican control of Congress and support President Trump’s policy agenda. Each vote contributes towards a conservative Speaker Mike Johnson instead of a liberal Speaker Hakeem Jeffries from New York City,” Norman emphasized.
Although Norman did not provide specific details on the new map’s configuration, he did mention the long-standing Democrat, Representative Jim Clyburn, by name.
“Jim Clyburn is a respectable individual, but he is a liberal Democrat who played a role in electing Joe Biden as President. This does not align with the representation that South Carolina requires,” Norman remarked.
Clyburn has been a key ally of former President Joe Biden and has represented South Carolina’s 6th congressional district since 1993.
The 6th congressional district was initially redrawn in the early 1990s to provide greater representation for Black South Carolinians, resulting in the sole majority-Black district in the state.
South Carolina’s congressional map has witnessed some partisan disputes in recent years. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that claimed a Republican-led redistricting unfairly weakened the voting power of Black constituents, particularly in South Carolina’s 1st congressional district, which is adjacent to Clyburn’s.
The conservative majority of the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the district was redrawn based on partisan considerations rather than racial factors, making it legally defensible.
Redistricting typically occurs following the U.S. census every ten years to accommodate population shifts across different states.
Norman’s proposal for redrawing the lines comes in the wake of efforts by Texas Republicans to create a new congressional map that could potentially add up to five new GOP seats in the House of Representatives.
This move has sparked a political uproar nationwide, prompting liberal states like New York and California to consider similar actions. Several states are now engaging in discussions about potential redistricting.
Reporter Digital contacted Clyburn’s campaign and representatives in the South Carolina General Assembly for their input on this matter.
