MAY 19, 2026 | I was at the Statehouse last week and I was able to see S.C. Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, give his speech against the gerrymandering push by his Republican colleagues. It was a long speech that went in several different directions and gave various rationales for why this plan to change the current congressional maps to try and create a 7-0 Republican delegation is wrong.
After his speech, the Senate blocked the resolution to extend the legislative schedule to implement the redistricting. But S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster then reversed his previous stance and called for a special legislative session to continue with the gerrymandering plan. In light of this, Massey’s message and courage is even more pertinent and needed.
In the speech, Massey appealed to some of the pragmatic issues related to breaking up voting communities of interest. He also tried to appeal to the partisanship of his colleagues by warning them that they might be overplaying their hand, and instead of having a 7–0 Republican map, it could lead to Democrats picking up two congressional seats. He even appealed to perhaps some of the prejudice of his colleagues by warning them that this would galvanize the “Black vote” and lead to more Democratic representation. He said that he was involved with the previous gerrymandering that left South Carolina Republicans with a 6–1 congressional edge and that he was proud of that.
There were certainly problematic and deeply self-interested motivations behind these arguments. But I, at least, appreciate the honesty that he used in his speech. He was open about what this is about: power. He’s not trying to hide dishonestly behind disingenuous arguments like some of his GOP colleagues who say they want a new map because it is unfair to the voters of the 6th District or that it is for democracy or against racism. Some gubernatorial candidates have made these almost laughable claims. Their disingenuousness is so blatant that it was refreshing to see Massey offering the honest argument.
At the end, Massey made some important arguments about how this new gerrymandering move undermines federalism. He pointed out that it was Washington and the White House behind this new map, not the people of South Carolina. In fact, voters did not even get a chance for public hearings like they would usually have. He mentioned that he had too much Southern blood in him to just allow Washington to come in and force our maps to change.
Massey also appealed to the broader ideas of our republic, saying that even though Republicans are in power right now, they should not look to crush the enemy. He argued that this is not the way republics can actually survive and that having a vibrant Democratic Party is good for the Republican Party and for the state overall. He warned that this type of power grab makes a mockery of our republic and mentioned how Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev warned the U.S. system’s greatest threat was internal. The senator also warned that this type of power grab would contribute to the destruction of our system.
Though I obviously did not think that some of his rationale, especially the fear that this would galvanize the Black vote, was in any way appropriate, I do believe his arguments about the republic and the rights of South Carolina to determine its own future are deeply important for us to consider. What the legislators are doing now – bowing to Trump in the hopes of gaining one more congressional seat just months before an election – makes a mockery of our sovereignty as a state and ultimately undermines our republican form of government.
Massey said he knew he would face personal consequences for this vote, which directly goes against the wishes of the president. But he said he believed it was the moral action to take.
Despite the pressure from the governor, it is time for other Republican legislators to follow Massey’s lead and do what is right for our state and republic instead of blindly following whatever Trump tells them to do in the moment.
Will McCorkle is an area college professor who lives in Summerville.
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