James Clyburn has been a major Democratic power broker in South Carolina politics for decades — so influential that GOP redistricting efforts targeting his House seat have drawn significant political blowback. The comment is a sharp observation: if Clyburn actually represented all of South Carolina (not just his district), he'd already be a Senator, which underscores how concentrated his political influence is despite holding only a House seat. South Carolina Republicans have so far failed to eliminate his district through redistricting, with some state senators warning it could backfire on the GOP.