A new redistricting map from Gov. Ron DeSantis would wipe out the congressional district of Rep. Al Lawson, a Black Democrat, and make it difficult for another Democrat to be elected anywhere north of Orlando.
DeSantis proposed the map Wednesday, eliminating minority-access districts and increasing the number of Republican-leaning districts statewide to 20 from 16.
Lawmakers are likely to approve the map during a special legislative session next week. The Legislature's leadership said this week that it would defer to the governor, who already vetoed maps the Legislature approved.
Lawson, a Black Democrat, represents the 5th Congressional District, which was designed so Black voters could elect a member of Congress of their choosing. DeSantis said the district, stretching from Jacksonville to west of Tallahassee, is an example of illegal "racial gerrymandering."
"I mean, we are not going to have a 200-mile gerrymander that divvies up people based on the color of their skin," DeSantis said Tuesday. "That is wrong. That is not the way we've governed in the state of Florida."
Lawson released a statement this week saying: "Today’s revelation is a continued scheme by DeSantis to erase minority-access districts in Congress in order to create more seats for the Republican Party. DeSantis is doing a disservice to Florida voters by playing partisan politics. This latest map clearly violates the Voting Rights Act as well as the U.S. and Florida Constitutions.”
DeSantis' map would break up Jacksonville — and its heavily Democratic voter base — across two Republican-leaning districts.
It also recasts the current 10th District in Central Florida, represented by Black Democrat Val Demings, and breaks up Black communities in the Tampa Bay area.
Republicans would have an advantage in 20 districts and Democrats in eight: one in the Tampa area, two around Orlando and five in South Florida.
The governor's map got a key endorsement Wednesday from Senate Reapportionment Chairman Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero.
"After thoroughly reviewing the governor’s submission and a discussion with our legal counsel, I have determined that the governor’s map reflects standards the Senate can support,” Rodrigues wrote in a memo to senators, the News Service of Florida reported.
Florida Democratic Party Chairman Manny Diaz released a statement early Wednesday evening blasting DeSantis’ proposal and legislative leaders, the News Service said.
"It is appalling, but not surprising, that the Republican Legislature has abdicated its constitutional duty to draft and pass congressional maps to the governor,” Diaz said. “As proven by the proposed map released today, Gov. DeSantis is hell-bent on eliminating congressional seats where Florida's minority communities have the ability to elect representatives of their choice, and he is imposing his own partisan political preferences on Florida's congressional map.”
Lawmakers rejected earlier maps that DeSantis proposed, saying they could violate the Fair Districts provisions of the Florida Constitution, which prohibit lawmakers from drawing districts that favor political parties or incumbents.
Cecile Scoon, president of the Florida League of Women Voters, told WFSU News this month that one purpose of the Fair Districts Amendments is "to fix racial discrimination from hundreds of years."
Matthew Isbell, a redistricting expert and data consultant for the Democratic Party, described the governor's map as "an extreme gerrymander" and a "very aggressive plan," WFSU reported.
The governor's plan increases Republicans' advantage "by destroying Black representation in North Florida," Isbell said.
