Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has advanced a congressional redistricting plan that would dramatically shift the state's House delegation toward Republicans, marking an escalation in what has become a high-stakes partisan battle over map-drawing in the crucial swing state.
The proposed map color-codes districts in red and blue by party affiliation, a visual approach that cuts against Florida's historical practice of avoiding such stark partisan displays. Under the plan, Democrats would hold only four House seats compared to 24 for Republicans, an increase of four GOP seats from the current 20-seat Republican delegation.
DeSantis has justified the redrawing as a response to Florida's population changes since the 2020 census, though the total number of seats allocated to the state remains unchanged at 28. The governor has suggested that race-based redistricting may violate the 14th Amendment, signaling a legal strategy that could shape how courts evaluate the maps.
The legislature is scheduled to consider the proposal during a special session beginning Tuesday. Democratic groups and civil rights organizations have already signaled they intend to file lawsuits challenging the plan immediately upon passage.
Florida's state constitution explicitly prohibits intentionally drawing district lines to favor either political party. Yet the openly partisan nature of the new map has raised questions about whether DeSantis' administration is essentially acknowledging its intent to create Republican-leaning districts.
Nick Stephanopoulos, a Harvard law professor directing the university's Election Law Clinic, told Axios that any current redrawing of Florida's maps would obviously carry partisan intent, which the state's Fair District Amendments explicitly forbid. He expressed skepticism, however, that those protections would prove effective in court, given the state Supreme Court's track record of weakening them.
The outlook for legal challenges is complicated by the composition of Florida's Supreme Court. Six of its seven justices were appointed by DeSantis, making the court a potentially friendly venue for defending the maps.
The redrawing effort has created friction within Florida's Republican congressional delegation. Some sitting House members worry the new boundaries could actually damage GOP strength in seats they currently hold. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Miami-area Republican representing a heavily Latino district, has expressed concern about eroding Republican support among Hispanic voters, a voting bloc that has become less reliably Democratic in recent years.
When asked directly about the redistricting plan, Salazar replied simply, "I like my lines," signaling her preference to avoid the disruption and political risk the new map represents.
The tension reflects a broader dynamic in Florida politics. DeSantis maintained a notably cool relationship with the state's congressional Republicans during the 2024 GOP primary, when most backed former President Trump in his contest against the governor.
Author James Rodriguez: "DeSantis is essentially daring the courts to stop him while banking on the judges he appointed to look the other way."
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