On May 4, Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, signed into law a new state redistricting map for the U.S. House of Representatives that would favor the Republican Party.
On May 15, Judge Joshua Hawkes of Tallahassee, Florida’s capital, heard arguments regarding the new district map to determine whether he should block it. A decision is pending.
Unusual Approach
Traditionally, redistricting occurs following the census, every ten years. But DeSantis has advocated for a mid-decade redistricting in Florida. He argues that the state’s map was unfair due to massive population growth and demographic shifts since the 2020 census, resulting in disproportionate and unequal-sized districts. He also maintains that the old electoral districts, which were based on racial considerations, were likely unconstitutional. For their part, civil rights groups assert that the new map violates the state’s constitutional protections against partisan gerrymandering aimed at targeting Democrats and dismantling seats accessible to minorities.
Furthermore, historically, the legislature has led the map-making process through an open procedure. But DeSantis’s office drafted it behind closed doors and sent it to Fox News before sharing it with lawmakers. They then approved it before the governor signed it on May 4.
Impact
Of the 28 seats representing Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives, only eight are held by Democrats. According to experts, with DeSantis’s redistricting, four of these eight Democratic seats could be flipped by Republicans.
Most Affected Districts
Districts in South Florida are among the most affected, along with those in the Orlando and Tampa areas.
For example, the new electoral map eliminates a district with a large Black population in the southern part of the state, previously represented by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick before her resignation due to an ethics investigation. This district, designed to comply with the Voting Rights Act recently weakened by the Supreme Court, is described by DeSantis as “race-based gerrymandering.” It will now be dismantled and divided among several districts.
The districts of Lois Frankel and Jared Moskowitz, in Palm Beach and Broward counties, also illustrate a profound redistricting: a new, more Democratic district is emerging in West Palm Beach, while Moskowitz’s territory is split into three, reducing his chances of reelection. Parkland, where he resides, is now in a more Republican district.
In the south, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is losing her district, while Frederica Wilson retains a redrawn Democratic district in Miami-Dade. Wasserman-Schultz denounces this as an “openly partisan maneuver.”
While Judge Hawkes’ ruling on the redistricting is still pending, WUSF reports that his decision will almost certainly be appealed to the Florida Supreme Court, regardless of the verdict. It remains to be seen whether time will run out before the midterm elections.
Article translated by DeepL.
