By Andy Brack | If you want to know why gerrymandering harms democracy, just look at the results of filing for S.C. House seats, which closed Wednesday.
Of the 124 seats that will be voted on across the state, it’s already crystal clear which political party will win in more than half of the seats. Some 71 seats will be either Republican or Democratic. In fact, a total of 45 of those seats feature 34 Republicans and 11 Democrats with absolutely no opposition at all.
This is no way to run a democracy. More competition, particularly in the November general election, means choices for voters. In 45 districts, there’s no choice.
In 16 districts, there’s no real party choice. A total of 51 districts have competitive primary elections with 38 GOP primaries and 13 Democratic primaries scheduled for June. But at least 16 of those races have no challenger from another party, meaning that one party will because others didn’t field a candidate.
So if anyone ever tells you the fix is in – meaning that the Republican Party as well as incumbents in general – have a massive advantage in House elections, you’re hearing the truth. Gerrymandering – the practice of letting the foxes draw their own election lines – creates unfair districts and diminishes democracy.
Gerrymandering in the once-every-10-years redistricting process also bolsters partisanship.
Still, we’re encouraged that the November elections feature 53 “competitive” races. But we put the adjective in quotes because the reality is that many of those races have fairly token opposition candidates, a few from third parties. If the November elections go like past House races, there probably will be only a dozen out of 124 races that are truly competitive, meaning elections in which it’s fairly hard to predict a winner.
Again, this is no way to run a democracy.
Members of the legislature need to be shamed into creating an independent redistricting commission that will draw fairer district lines and keep communities together instead of playing politics. To do less is to continue to insult voters who want real choices.
Also on our radar screen in recent days:
Support Ukraine. South Carolinians need to keep a focus on supporting Ukraine as the Russian military continues its violent invasion. Don’t get distracted by silliness at a movie awards ceremony or partisan politics involving a Supreme Court nominee. Do what you can to bolster Ukraine and support freedom because if the Russians get a significant toehold in Ukraine, you can bet the Bear will threaten other democracies.
Graham’s flip-flop. We wish United States senators would stop using confirmation hearings as platforms to make insulting, partisan rants. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., embarrassed the whole state in recent days with a tirade against U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson – whom he voted to confirm a few months back. Confirmation hearings of nominees from either party are supposed to be about qualifications, not politics. Both parties need to reboot how they do confirmations.
Suspend the gas tax. South Carolina’s gas tax is 26 cents per gallon. With pain at the pump a reality for most South Carolinians – and with the state still flush with surplus cash from two years of pandemic payments and other monies – the state should suspend the tax temporarily to help voters’ pocketbooks.
That’s what Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham of Charleston again suggested last month. GOP incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster said in a statement that he vetoed a gas tax increase in past years, but then he slammed Cunningham for being a Democrat. Later he wouldn’t commit to suspending gas taxes, but said he’d consider any proposal from the legislature. Come on governor, get beyond partisanship, show some leadership and encourage your buddies to provide voters with some relief. (It would be a good political move, too.)
Andy Brack is publisher of the Charleston City Paper and editor and publisher of Statehouse Report. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!