Ron Desantis Releases New Congressional Map Creating Four More Gop-leaning Seats In Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis connected Monday released a projected redraw of nan state’s legislature lines that, connected paper, would create 4 caller GOP-leaning seats — an fierce connection that nan politician is utilizing to effort to situation anti-gerrymandering connection successful nan authorities constitution.

The Florida Legislature is group to statesman a typical convention Tuesday to see nan maps, which are overwhelmingly expected to walk retired of nan GOP-dominated body, though moreover immoderate Republicans person expressed annoyance astir really DeSantis has handled nan process.

The representation was first released to Fox News, which sewage a position of nan caller connection earlier Florida lawmakers had a chance to spot it. The merchandise came successful nan shape of a graphic that intelligibly outlined nan governmental leaning of each spot successful bluish and red, which itself could origin ineligible heartburn because nan Florida constitution includes anti-gerrymandering language, known arsenic Fair Districts, that prevents nan usage of partisan “intent.”

The existent legislature maps, besides drawn by DeSantis, springiness Republicans a 20-8 advantage complete Democrats, a number that could change to 24-4 nether nan DeSantis plan.

“This is wild,” said a Florida Republican advisor who has been progressive successful past redistricting cycles. “I don’t cognize really you tin reason a reddish and bluish representation released from nan governor’s agency doesn’t show immoderate shape of partisan intent.”

Democratic state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith hinted that he believed nan shape of that early merchandise unsocial will beryllium capable to show location was partisan intent from nan governor’s office.

“The truth that nan Governor shared his illegally-rigged Congressional representation with @FoxNews earlier sharing it pinch authorities senators voting connected them TOMORROW shows really partisan and illegitimate this process is,” he posted on societal media.

DeSantis’ agency did not return a petition seeking remark astir nan release. It issued a connection to Fox News saying nan caller maps are needed because nan authorities sewage “shortchanged” during nan 2020 census. DeSantis has many times noted nan state's organization maturation since 2020 successful comments astir mid-decade redistricting, too. In a memo to lawmakers urging they support nan map, DeSantis contends Florida was undercounted by much than 760,000 people.

Because of Fair Districts, nan census information has been really Republicans person discussed nan request to push guardant pinch redistricting, alternatively than focusing connected axenic governmental summation for illustration politicians successful most other states that person redrawn their legislature maps complete nan past year.

In a memo to lawmakers, DeSantis besides signaled his caller representation will beryllium an effort to unit reconsideration of nan Fair Districts provisions successful nan authorities constitution. The connection requires nan information of title erstwhile drafting caller governmental lines, which DeSantis says is unconstitutional.

"Properly understood, nan Fourteenth Amendment forbids nan authorities from divvying up nan citizenry based successful full aliases successful portion upon race," publication nan memo, which was penned by DeSantis wide counsel David Axelman.

But nan fierce governmental gains nan caller representation seeks person immoderate Republicans questioning whether nan politician has misread nan existent governmental atmosphere. Democrats crossed nan country, including successful Florida, person flipped GOP-held seats successful typical and regular elections amid President Donald Trump’s debased support ratings.

The interest rises from nan thought that successful bid to create much GOP-leaning seats, nan margins successful galore redrawn districts will get smaller for Republican incumbents. During what is expected to beryllium a difficult 2026 midterm for nan party, it could put those incumbents astatine consequence of losing moreover if they person flimsy registration advantages.

“Does he want america to lose? I don’t understand this,” said a seasoned Florida Republican operative who has worked connected respective past redistricting cycles. “This feels for illustration chaos mentation for him pinch an oculus towards moving [for president] successful 2028. This is going to put Republican members astatine risk, but I conscionable don’t get immoderate consciousness he cares.”

The caller representation would get free of nan blue-leaning spot successful Tampa presently held by Rep. Kathy Castor. She is nan lone Democrat representing nan region.

The connection besides appears to do distant pinch nan spot held by Democrat Darren Soto of Orlando, leaving 1 bluish spot successful nan cardinal portion of nan state.

And it would time off 2 Democratic-leaning seats successful Palm Beach and Broward Counties successful South Florida, wherever Democrats presently person 4 districts: nan spot precocious vacated by erstwhile Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, positive Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's, Jared Moskowitz's and Lois Frankel's districts.

The caller representation removes immoderate Democratic-leaning seats from nan Tampa and Orlando areas, which are location to galore Democratic voters. In bid to make seats successful those areas each Republican-leaning connected paper, it apt intends nan existent margins successful nan caller Republican seats — and perchance immoderate nan surrounding ones — are now overmuch smaller.

“New FL representation projected by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) would target 4 Dem seats, aiming to person a 20R-8D delegation to 24R-4D. But successful a twelvemonth for illustration 2026, not each of nan 24 seats would beryllium safe for nan GOP,” Dave Wasserman, an predetermination expert for nan Cook Political Report pinch Amy Walter, posted connected X.

Florida is group to go nan eighth authorities to redraw its lines this predetermination cycle, aft President Donald Trump kicked disconnected a run past twelvemonth to usage redistricting to effort to pad Republican’s slim majorities successful nan House. That, for now, has not gone precisely arsenic nan White House has planned, arsenic Democratic-led states besides started redrawing their legislature maps, meaning that it’s improbable that either governmental statement won a immense number of caller seats.

If Florida’s caller representation were to beryllium implemented, it would cancel retired nan caller Democratic gains in Virginia, wherever voters approved a caller scheme that could spot Democrats prime up 4 House seats. The Virginia Supreme Court heard arguments astir nan legality of that ballot measurement push connected Monday.

In Florida, nan caller representation will besides almost surely extremity up pinch nan authorities Supreme Court, wherever DeSantis has appointed six of nan existent 7 members. But given the connection successful nan authorities constitution astir partisan “intent,” location are Republicans successful nan authorities not convinced nan caller representation will walk ineligible muster, moreover pinch a favorable court.

“I deliberation he [DeSantis] could eke retired for illustration a 4-3 win, aliases whatever,” a authorities lawmaker who's a personnel of nan Republican activity said. “But pinch redistricting, that’s not a given. It’s a beautiful fierce map, I conscionable don’t cognize really that mightiness play out.”