The GOP-led South Carolina Senate on Tuesday voted against a plan to advance a new congressional map, which, at least temporarily, ends the redistricting effort. The legislative chamber voted 26-18 against the map. Breaking news: Redistricting is officially dead in South Carolina. The South Carolina State Senate votes against redistricting in 26-18 vote 6R-1D congressional map stays in place https://t.co/SVJ5QXdPVu pic.twitter.com/H6QPoHlKdj — Politics & Poll Tracker (@PollTracker2024) May 26, 2026 Some Republican lawmakers said it’s simply too late to change the state’s congressional map before the midterm elections. “I can no longer support the passage of this bill for one simple reason: South Carolina citizens are going to the polls today,” Republican state Sen. Richard Cash said, according to The Hill. “Neither my conscience nor common sense will allow me to stop an election that has already begun,” he added. Watch below: JUST IN — IT'S OFFICIAL: South Carolina Senate RINOs have ENDED the 2026 redistricting map, where Republicans would've gained a 7R-0D map Vote: 18-26 PRIMARY every Republican, just like Indiana, who betrayed the movement and just helped Democrats. They ALL MUST GO! https://t.co/w0OektiyBK pic.twitter.com/fprMG8WOp8 — Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 26, 2026 The Hill shared further: A motion to end debate on the topic failed in the state’s upper chamber, scrambling a push that could have given Republicans total control of the seven-member congressional delegation. The vote is a blow to President Trump and other national Republicans who have called on red states across the country to consider redistricting as the party seeks to minimize its losses and notch new pickup opportunities ahead of November’s elections. Republicans in the South Carolina state House voted earlier this month to approve new congressional lines after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that weakened a section of the Voting Rights Act and prompted more states to consider map changes. South Carolina’s primary elections are set for early June. The state’s Democratic Party chair earlier this month had called the renewed talk of redistricting “reckless” amid reports that thousands of absentee ballots had already been sent out to voters. According to NBC News, advisers close to the White House were caught off guard by the failed vote in South Carolina. One adviser called it a “betrayal.” “We knew it was bumpy all along, never a guarantee,” one adviser told the outlet. “But the votes were there on the last vote and nothing changed,” the adviser added. NBC News: Advisers close to the White House said they were caught off guard by the failed redistricting vote in the South Carolina state Senate, with one calling it a “betrayal.” “We knew it was bumpy all along, never a guarantee,” one adviser told NBC News. “But the votes were… — Politics & Poll Tracker (@PollTracker2024) May 26, 2026 NBC News has more: The adviser also said that the White House was not given a heads up about the vote from South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, which they would have expected if votes were changing. The person said they were alerted by Attorney General Alan Wilson and “a couple” of state senators. NBC News reached out to McMaster’s office for comment. South Carolina isn’t the first Republican-controlled state to rebel against Trump’s redistricting agenda. In December, the Indiana Senate rejected a redrawn congressional map in a dramatic floor vote despite heavy White House pressure. Trump enacted revenge earlier this month, successfully backing five primary challengers to the Republican lawmakers who bucked him. In South Carolina, all members of the state Senate are up for re-election in 2028. “These next two years are going to bring h*** from the MAGA grassroots wing of the party already skeptical of many of these old guard GOP senators,” said one longtime South Carolina Republican operative. Republicans in the South Carolina Senate had signaled their resistance to redrawing the state’s congressional map earlier this month, refusing to take up a new proposal as part of its regularly scheduled session. But amid pressure from the White House and national Republicans, McMaster quickly called lawmakers back for a special session to tackle the issue.