The Florida Legislature has passed Gov. Ron DeSantis' proposed congressional map. Florida Republicans adopted DeSantis' map after the governor vetoed two plans approved by the state legislature.
Between Florida gaining one seat in the U.S. House following congressional apportionment and the aggressive redrawing of district boundaries, the GOP finds itself about to pick up as many as four congressional seats.
The House voted 68-38 to send the map to DeSantis' desk. DeSantis, whose office submitted the map and defended its merits in testimony this week, is expected to sign it. The Senate passed the map on Wednesday, also in a party-line vote.
The map eliminates three highly competitive districts and the predominantly black Fifth District.
DeSantis had argued that some of the state's districts, including the Fifth and 10th, were racially gerrymandered.
DeSantis' foray in the once-a-decade redistricting process is unusual. None of his immediate predecessors were especially involved in reapportioning state boundaries. It was a surprise to Tallahassee, including Republicans, when the governor's office in January submitted a map for the lawmakers to consider.
Republicans currently hold a 16-11 advantage in Florida's US House delegation. The state added a 28th district following the 2020 US census.
DeSantis' involvement in the process wiped out Democratic gains from their gerrymandered maps in states like Illinois and New York.
BuhBye nancy p.
The key to the article is found at the very bottom: “DeSantis’ involvement in the process wiped out Democratic gains from their gerrymandered maps in states like Illinois and New York.”. While Democrats may rant and rave at the “injustice” of DeSantis’ gerrymandering, they remain totally silent on the same redrawing done in Democrat controlled states.