‘Democratic kingmaker’ Clyburn warns GOP-led effort to ‘break’ his district could backfire

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., cautioned Republicans to be “very careful what you pray for” amid a Trump-backed effort by Republican South Carolina state lawmakers to redraw the state’s map — an effort that would target Clyburn, the lone Democratic member of the state’s U.S. House of Representatives.

Deemed a “kingmaker” within the Democratic Party, Clyburn’s endorsement of then–presidential candidate Joe Biden during the 2020 election was widely credited with helping Biden win the presidency. He has been in Congress for more than 30 years, but now faces uncertainty as the South Carolina legislature voted Wednesday to consider redrawing the state’s congressional lines.

However, in an interview with CNN’s “State of the Union,” Clyburn said he believed he would win his seat for an 18th term, adding that if Republicans are successful with their redistricting effort in South Carolina, there are “possibilities of at least three Democrats” being elected to Congress in the state.

“I don’t know why people think I could not get re-elected if they redistrict South Carolina,” Clyburn said. “I have a district that’s about 45% 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.”

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Clyburn took to X on Thursday, accusing Republicans of trying to “break” his district after the state House voted Wednesday to consider redrawing the state’s congressional map.

“Republicans in the South Carolina state legislature began the process of extending their session to allow for the redrawing of the state’s congressional map — with one goal in mind: eliminating the state’s only Democratic House district that is occupied by a Democrat,” Clyburn posted on X.

“This fight is bigger than one district,” Clyburn continued. “It’s about whether our democracy belongs to the people, or to politicians who change the rules when they don’t like the results.”

A Clyburn spokesperson pointed to the congressman’s X posts when reached for additional comment. 

The South Carolina legislature vote came in response to the Supreme Court ruling last month in Louisiana v. Callais, which determined in a 6-3 decision that the state’s push to create a second majority-Black district was unconstitutional. The ruling set stricter criteria for establishing a district based on constituents’ racial makeup, creating an opportunity for states to reexamine minority-majority districts first established under the Voting Rights Act.

“This decision threatens to send our country deeper into the thicket of never-ending redistricting fights, with repeated aggressive map redraws, protracted legal battles, and relentless partisan tugs-of-war, all of which are destined to result in more regressive court decisions,” Clyburn said of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“This court seems hellbent on redeeming the post-Reconstruction America that neutered the 1875 Civil Rights Act and other legislative and judicial actions that drastically limited Black participation and achievement, and eliminated African American political representation in multiple Southern states,” Clyburn continued.

Following Clyburn’s rallying call to Democrats, a South Carolina House subcommittee on Friday voted 3-2 to advance legislation that would push back the state’s June 9 primary election by two months. The goal is to give the legislature more time to pass its redrawn map, which would give Republicans a 7-0 advantage in the House. However, even if the primary election is pushed back, the effort has been deemed a difficult process and will likely confuse voters, state Election Commission Executive Director Conway Belangia told The State.

The South Carolina Election Commission noted that more than 6,000 absentee ballots have already been mailed out to military service members and overseas voters ahead of the June primary, and more than 200 ballots have already been mailed back.

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The state House Judiciary Committee held its own hearing centered on the state’s redistricting push. During the hearing, Belangia estimated that it would cost between $2.2 million and $2.5 million to move the state’s primary to August.

House members suggested allocating $2 million in the state’s budget next year to cover the expected litigation costs from a legal fight over the map.

Fox News Digital reached out to South Carolina’s Senate Majority Conference for further comment.

South Carolina Republicans’ push to redraw the state’s map is the latest move by GOP-led states to revise congressional districts in an effort to maintain the party’s majority following the midterm elections.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., first suggested weeks ago that South Carolina lawmakers consider targeting Clyburn’s district, responding to Virginia Democrats’ successful push to pass a ballot measure redrawing that state’s congressional map, which resulted in a 10-1 advantage for Democrats. However, the Virginia Supreme Court overruled the state’s map on Friday, causing major uproar from Democrats.