South Carolina’s governor will call a special session so the legislature can adopt new congressional maps after a Senate vote failed to move the process forward, keeping the GOP’s redistricting fight alive and setting up a high-stakes showdown over the state’s lone Democratic seat.

This post has been updated. The State Senate’s recent vote to redraw congressional lines ran into a procedural roadblock that left redistricting in limbo. Even though a majority supported moving forward, the chamber couldn’t reconvene without a two-thirds vote to call itself back, and that threshold was not met. That left Republicans looking for another way to finish the job.

In the House, the map cleared a subcommittee on a narrow 3-2 vote, so the lower chamber has done its part to advance a new plan. That split shows how razor-thin some of these fights have become, even in a state that leans Republican. Lawmakers and activists on both sides immediately started sizing up what a special session could mean for the fall elections.

Several Republican defections threatened to derail the effort, and one of the more notable holdouts was Senate Leader Shane Massey. Massey delivered a measured speech arguing a redraw wasn’t necessary and stressing the value of a healthy Democratic presence at the state capitol. That line of thinking frustrated other conservatives who see securing federal seats as essential to national strategy.

Procedural caution can be useful, but it shouldn’t substitute for the political work Republicans need to do. Party leaders pointed to past fights in places like Indiana where teams pushed through tough votes and secured maps that protected conservative voters. There’s a sense among many in the GOP that hesitation now could cost them a seat they should be able to hold.

Gov. Henry McMaster reportedly decided to change course and will call a special session, though the exact date is still being finalized. Former state representative Adam Morgan said leadership from both chambers met with the governor to “iron out the details.” That meeting signals state-level coordination and a willingness to take the fight to completion rather than let a handful of votes stall the process.

For Republicans, the objective is straightforward: redraw lines so the map reflects the current political landscape and maximizes chances to hold or pick up seats. Opponents call the move a gerrymander, but supporters argue it’s about restoring fair representation after population shifts and legal deadlines. Either way, the stakes are concrete: one map could reshape the delegation for years.

South Carolina GOP Gov. Henry McMaster is expected to announce a special session on redistricting, teeing up the state legislature to pass a Republican gerrymander that would almost certainly cost Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn his seat in this year’s midterms.

Clyburn is the sole Democrat in South Carolina’s House delegation; the new map would dismantle his district, leaving the state with 7 likely red seats and no Democratic-leaning ones.

McMaster’s plan — confirmed by four people familiar with the decision, who were granted anonymity to share private details — is a reversal of his position earlier this month and follows pressure from President Donald Trump and his allies to gerrymander the state.

The looming special session comes after five Republican state senators voted with Democrats to block a measure that would have allowed them to redraw South Carolina’s districts this cycle without a call from McMaster.

Critics will frame any aggressive redraw as raw politics, and Republicans should expect that messaging to dominate the media cycle. Still, state GOP leaders believe another map is necessary to reflect where voters are and to avoid handing strategic advantages to the opposition. The push now is to move deliberately but decisively during the special session.

There’s political theater in every redistricting battle, but this one will have practical consequences for candidates and voters. If the special session produces the plan leadership wants, it could eliminate the current Democratic foothold in Congress from South Carolina. That outcome would be a clear win for national GOP goals ahead of the general election.

Lawmakers and activists will be watching committee schedules and public statements closely as the governor sets the date. Expect floor fights, amendments, and the usual spin from both parties as each side tries to shape the narrative. For conservatives pushing this change, the work is now about finishing the job and translating legislative wins into electoral security.