Legislators in Florida recently adopted a new set of congressional maps. In a statement just days after the current legislative session ends, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says he will not approve the measures.
Republican seats in Congress currently number 16 while Democrat seats number 11. Due to population growth, Florida added an extra congressional seat, bringing its total to 28.
As part of his earlier proposal, DeSantis would have created 20 GOP districts and eight Democrat districts. The House and Senate approved a new legislative map that creates 18 red districts and 10 blue districts.
As of January, the Republican-controlled Senate retained 16 of the party's congressional seats. DeSantis meanwhile asked the state Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of a seat held by black Florida Representative Al Lawson (D-Fla.), which combines Tallahassee and Jacksonville. DeSantis' request was denied by the court, and the governor stated he would veto any map that retained Lawson's seat.
“I will veto the congressional reapportionment plan currently being debated by the House. DOA,” DeSantis said in a tweet. The state’s House and Senate voted in favor of a new congressional map on March 4. The proposal was approved by a 67-47 vote in the House and 24-15 in the Senate, with some Republicans voting in support.
In a statement, Lawson stated that the primary map adopted today by the Florida Legislature was drawn with a clear intent to give additional seats to one political party at the expense of Black voters.
5 March 2022
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