Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new congressional map into law on Monday, which could potentially flip four U.S. House seats from Democrats to Republicans according to CBS News. The map was drawn by the governor's staff and passed by the Florida Legislature last week.
Key Takeaways
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new congressional map into law that could flip four seats from Democrats to Republicans. According to CBS News and Fox News, the map was drawn by DeSantis' staff and passed by the Florida Legislature last week.
- New map makes significant changes to 21 of Florida's 28 congressional districts
- Map could flip four seats from Democrats to Republicans in U.S. House
- Democrats decry move as violation of state's anti-gerrymandering Fair Districts laws
- DeSantis cites population growth and Supreme Court decision for redrawing map
The new map makes significant changes to 21 of Florida's 28 congressional districts, a shift that could help Republicans retain control of the U.S. House according to Fox News. Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the House with 217 seats compared to Democrats' 212.
Democrats have criticized the move as a violation of Florida's Fair Districts laws, which prohibit drawing districts to favor or disfavor incumbents or political parties. According to CBS News, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried posted on X that they would not allow DeSantis to violate the state's constitution.
The new map was signed into law just days after a Supreme Court decision that limited how race can be used in districting and narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. According to Fox News, DeSantis has pointed to this decision as justification for redrawing the map.
The new map is expected to face legal challenges from voting rights groups, but with qualifying for U.S. House races starting on June 8, there may be little time for courts to intervene according to CBS News and CNBC. DeSantis has also cited population growth in Florida as a reason for redrawing the map.
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