The South Carolina State Senate fell short of the two-thirds majority required to extend its legislative session, blocking an effort to redraw congressional maps that would have added a Republican-held U.S. House seat. The vote on Tuesday stood at 29 in favor and 17 against, failing to meet the threshold for procedural advancement.

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey argued that vibrant political competition strengthens communities: “We are stronger when we have a clash of ideas and we can discuss those policy goals.” South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette condemned the outcome as a betrayal of voters, stating, “The Senate’s refusal to advance these efforts today is a betrayal of the people of South Carolina.” Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto emphasized concerns about fairness, noting that existing maps would worsen political divisions for both voters and candidates.

Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Isle of Palms, warned that the tight timeline—just 14 days before early voting begins—makes redistricting efforts highly error-prone without significant delays. He questioned the credibility of map creators: “Those who crafted this map had no interest whatsoever—they could care less about our communities.”

The failed vote occurs as Republicans sought to move congressional primaries from June to August using a White House-endorsed map designed to create seven Republican seats, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of Louisiana’s congressional map for racial gerrymandering. With the legislative session set to conclude Thursday, lawmakers have yet to finalize redistricting procedures for upcoming midterms.