Trump tells S Carolina GOP lawmakers 'I'm watching closely' as they begin redistricting debate

President Donald Trump is pushing South Carolina GOP lawmakers to be "bold and courageous" as they begin deliberations Tuesday in the statehouse on a proposal to redraw the state's congressional districts map. 

"BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS, just like the Republicans of the Great State of Tennessee were last week!" Trump said in a Truth Social post Monday.

Deliberations will begin in the state House's Constitutional Laws subcommittee – with a final, full chamber vote potentially later this week. If passed, the measure would still need to be passed in the Senate, which has yet to decide whether to consider redistricting legislation. The GOP-controlled state Assembly's regular legislative session ends Thursday, according to The Hill newspaper.

Changes to the map would push primary voting back from June to August, which would result in numerous logistical and political complications. 

Trump strongly supports redistricting in Republican-led states in an effort to keep party control of Congress.  

Tennessee last week voted for a new congressional map that eliminated the state's only Democratic-leaning district, in Memphis. 

"I’m watching closely, along with all Republicans across the Country who are counting on their Elected Leaders to use every Legal and Constitutional authority they have to stop the Radical Left Democrats from destroying our Country, including leveling the playing field against their decades of egregious Gerrymandering and Census Rigging," Trump also said in his post.