Supreme Court delay prompts federal judges to act in South Carolina redistricting dispute
Supreme Court delay prompts federal judges to act over South Carolina redistricting dispute
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has delayed resolving a South Carolina redistricting case for so long that a lower court has been forced to step in, saying on Thursday that a congressional district it previously ruled was racially gerrymandered can be used in this year’s election.
Last year, a federal court ruled that the Charleston-area district held by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., was unlawfully drawn by removing thousands of Black voters.
But on Thursday, the same court said in an order that the map could be used for this year's congressional election.
The three-judge panel wrote that "with the primary election procedures rapidly approaching, the appeal before the Supreme Court still pending, and no remedial plan in place, the ideal must bend to the practical."
The decision constitutes a setback for Democrats, who might have gained a more favorable map if it was redrawn.
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