Lawmakers have been told that huge population increases may give SC another congressional seat.

“This would be a plus as we would have 1 more voice in Congress,” said SC Sen. Ronnie Cromer who represents Lexington County.

He said 1 more voice will help deliver what citizens in SC want from Washington.

The 2020 Census may help conservatives in the state and across the South.

New census figures show people continuing to shift from the North and Midwest to the South and Southwest.

That may give more power to South Carolina and counties such as Lexington that vote Republican.

Latest population estimates would give Texas 2 House seats and Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon 1 each although the 2020 census will not affect the next presidential election.

Shifts in political power could depend on who wins control of statehouse seats in 2020 elections and gets to redraw political lines.

How this will affect the 2nd Congressional District of Rep. Joe Wilson of Springdale is not yet known.

Wilson represents 1 of the smaller but more heavily populated districts in the middle of the state.

The 1st elections likely to be affected will be in 2021.

Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia and California may lose at least 1 House seat. giving Republicans control.

Kimball Brace, president of Election Data Services, told the Wall Street Journal he expects the changes will benefit Republicans.

“The big states that are Democratic are in a loss situation,” he said of California, Illinois and New York.

The data shows Americans are older and have fewer babies, immigration is slowing and those who move are leaving the Northeast and Midwest for the Sunbelt and its favorable weather, strong job growth, cheaper housing and lower taxes.

Immigration declined from 702,000 in 2018 to 595,000 last year.