Rep. Jim Clyburn says he will run for reelection despite a Republican-led push to redraw South Carolina’s congressional map after a Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act. He defended his record and the roughly 45% African-American composition of his district, even as its boundaries could change. Clyburn criticized the court’s majority opinion as partisan and warned the redrawing could produce unintended Democratic gains. A longtime lawmaker first elected in 1992, he remains a prominent figure in House Democratic leadership history.
Clyburn Vows to Run Again Despite GOP Redistricting Push
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said Sunday he remains committed to seeking reelection even as South Carolina Republicans accelerate plans to redraw the state’s congressional map following a recent Supreme Court decision affecting the Voting Rights Act.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Clyburn criticized the court’s ruling and defended his decades-long record in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I don't know why people think I could not get reelected if they redistrict South Carolina. I have a district that's about 45 percent African-American. I have no idea what the number will be after the legislature finishes, but whatever that number is, I will be running on my record and America's promise.”
Clyburn warned that Republican map proposals could eliminate his current district and produce a 7-0 GOP congressional delegation from South Carolina. He argued the redistricting effort has a clear racial element, citing Justice Samuel Alito’s majority opinion that suggested some race-based voting protections are no longer necessary.
“Why is it OK to have a 75 percent white district and that's not racial; if you have a 45 percent black district, that is racial?” Clyburn asked. “I never thought I would see today that the United States Supreme Court would be so openly partisan with what it's been doing.”
Clyburn also emphasized the historical context of Black representation from South Carolina in Congress. He noted that he is only the ninth Black person ever elected from the state to the U.S. House and referenced his memoir The First Eight, saying the progress reflected in those numbers was shaped by changes in law and court decisions.
Still, he warned Republicans their redistricting could backfire: “Be very careful what you pray for, because what I do believe is that when they finish with the redistricting, there will be the possibilities of at least three Democrats getting elected here in South Carolina to the United States Congress.”
Background
Clyburn was first elected to Congress in 1992. He served for about two decades in House Democratic leadership alongside Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer and rose to the position of House majority whip. At 85, he is the only one of those three still seeking reelection this year.
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