COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) 鈥� Democrats were in a more celebratory mood than usual as they gathered Friday in South Carolina, a state led almost entirely by Republicans.
Just days ago, the Republican-led state Senate backed by President to redraw House district lines to oust Rep. , the state鈥檚 only Democrat in Congress and a political powerbroker who has been in office since 1993.
Clyburn spent Friday night hosting his signature annual event, the 鈥淲orld Famous Fish Fry,鈥� which followed the Blue Palmetto Dinner, an annual Democratic fundraiser.
“You have delivered for the people of this state and this nation in an unbelievable way,鈥� Clyburn told a sold-out crowd at the dinner as hundreds of attendees burst into thunderous applause.
The back-to-back events often showcase potential presidential contenders. Kentucky Gov. spoke at the dinner, and he paid tribute to Clyburn.
鈥淚 am so proud to be here with the one and only Jim Clyburn, the man so strong that South Carolina Republicans said, 鈥榥o thanks鈥� to Donald Trump on redistricting,鈥� he said.
Beshear and California Rep. joined Clyburn at the fish fry as well, where thousands chowed down on hot fried fish and sipped cold drinks.
Democratic candidates from around the state wore blue 鈥淐lyburn for Congress鈥� T-shirts as to the crowd, a political ritual that showcases his influence in South Carolina. He’s running for this year.
South Carolina’s primary is June 9. Voters will choose nominees for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House. Had Republicans in the state Senate not rejected the plan pushed by the White House, those congressional votes would have been canceled and a new primary scheduled .
Republicans rebuked redistricting with voting underway
The state Senate vote on redistricting failed Tuesday, the first day of early voting, with some senators saying it was simply too late to change district lines.
Clyburn, who is Black, condemned the White House-led effort, which he said had been aimed at 鈥渮eroing Democratic voters, zeroing African American voters out of the process.鈥�
鈥淚 know the state, and I am embarrassed that so many people in our legislature will allow strangers in Washington to tell them what to do, when to do it and how to do it,鈥� Clyburn said as he cast his vote in Orangeburg on Tuesday.
The political drama in South Carolina is part of a Republican strategy to redraw voting districts to the party’s advantage in an attempt to hold on to a slim House majority in the midterms. Republicans have moved quickly to try to leverage a recent that weakened the federal Voting Rights Act.
Clyburn keeps his kingmaker role
At least for now, Clyburn’s 6th congressional district has been preserved, as has his place as the Democrat to whom White House hopefuls look for guidance in navigating the state’s electorate.
During the 2020 primary, Clyburn provided a crucial endorsement to , helping him demonstrate strength among Black voters and catapulting him to the Democratic nomination. On Friday night, Clyburn told reporters he was 鈥渙pen鈥� to endorsing a presidential candidate in 2028.
But Clyburn, among the oldest Democrats serving in Washington, has called it an 鈥渙pen question鈥� as to whether his next term could be his last. Whenever he leaves office, the Democratic field looking to replace him is anticipated to be massive.
South Carolina angling to reprise leadoff primary status
The conclusion of November’s will mark the unofficial start to a 2028 presidential primary season. Although won’t be set for months, the battle for attention has already begun in a variety of places that could play a pivotal role.
On Thursday, Democratic chairs in five southern states urging them to again pick South Carolina to go first.
However, party leaders here have braced for a different spot on the calendar, saying they wouldn’t see it as a loss if another state got the leadoff spot.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at
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