After 20 years of Republican dominance in South Carolina’s Statehouse, the GOP has achieved a historic milestone with a veto-proof, two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. This victory allows Republicans to fast-track major legislation without fear of filibusters from the Democratic minority. The state Senate now boasts 34 Republican seats out of 46, marking the party’s first supermajority since Reconstruction and significantly limiting Democrats’ bargaining power. This outcome came as a major blow to Democrats, who had hoped to hold or grow their Senate ranks in the recent elections.
Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey credited the Republican caucus’s strategic investment in strong candidates for the victory. In addition to their Senate success, Republicans had an unexpectedly strong performance across the board, flipping multiple local government seats in the state. Despite holding off challenges to vulnerable incumbents, Democrats failed to defend candidates who were perceived as safe bets and were unable to capitalize on winnable races.
Overall, the 2022 election was a resounding win for Republicans in South Carolina, solidifying their control over the state’s legislative branches. This new dominance is expected to shape policy decisions in the state for the next two years, as Republicans can now pass key legislation without significant opposition.
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