The Challenge of Disentangling Race and Politics in Gerrymandering

The Supreme Court is considering a case involving the redistricting of South Carolina's congressional plan in 2022 following the 2020 census. The district in question, District One, has been subject to changes aimed at making it more Republican. The key issue before the court is determining whether these changes were driven by race or party affiliation. The lower court concluded that the redistricting exhibited racial predominance and constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Arguments in the Supreme Court centered around the burden of proof, the reliance on circumstantial evidence, and the credibility of expert testimony. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for the interpretation of racial and partisan gerrymandering in future elections.