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46th Governor of Florida Presidential campaigns |
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Since 2025, the U.S. state of Florida and its Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, have faced pressure from national Republicans to gerrymander the state's congressional map as part of a broader national effort between red states and blue states to gain an advantage in the 2026 U.S. House elections. In Florida, the authority to redraw congressional districts lies solely with the Florida State Legislature.
At the 2024 general election, Florida's congressional plan returned twenty Republicans and eight Democrats to the 119th United States Congress. Republican leaders in the state believe that they can flip three to five Democratic seats by further cracking Democratic-leaning areas, particularly in the Tampa Bay area, Greater Orlando, and the Miami metropolitan area, which returned one, two, and five Democrats in 2024 respectively.
Despite Democratic opposition, the new map was successfully passed and signed by DeSantis on May 4, 2026, following a special legislative session. On June 10, 2026, the Supreme Court of Florida allowed the new map to stay in effect for Florida's 2026 U.S. House elections.
Legislative history
[edit]On January 7, 2026, DeSantis called a special session of the Florida Legislature for the purpose of redistricting the state's congressional maps, to take place in April. In order to accommodate a new map, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd moved the April qualifying date for the congressional primary to June.[2]
On April 27, 2026, the day before the session's opening, DeSantis proposed a 24–4 congressional map to the Legislature. The map targets four incumbent Democrats: Kathy Castor (Tampa), Darren Soto (Orlando), Lois Frankel (West Palm Beach), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Ft. Lauderdale).[3]
On April 28, 2026, Jason Poreda, a senior DeSantis staff member, testified that he drew the districts for the new map and admitted to viewing partisan data, but said this was only one factor in drawing the map.[4][5][6]
On April 29, 2026, the Florida House of Representatives approved the map in an 83–28 vote, along party-lines, followed by the Florida Senate who approved the map in an 21-17 vote, largely along party-lines.[7][8] Republican state senators Jennifer Bradley (Fleming Island), Alexis Calatayud (Miami), Ileana Garcia (Miami), and Erin Grall (Vero Beach) broke from party lines and voted against the map. Democratic state representative Angie Nixon (Jacksonville) briefly interrupted the vote with a megaphone, shouting “this is a violation of the Constitution.”[9] Republican state representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka (Ft. Myers) acknowledged that the map does not align with Florida’s constitution, but stated that the map is based on a “viable legal theory” and that Florida has an “evolving legal landscape.”[10] On the same day, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Louisiana v. Callais that the Voting Rights Act did not mandate majority-minority districts and that they are unconstitutional racial gerrymandering.[11] DeSantis indicated he had advance knowledge of Supreme Court's decision.[12]
On April 30, 2026, DeSantis stated he will sign the bill (HB 1-D) into law "as soon as I get it."[13] He signed the bill on May 4, with a post on X saying, "signed, sealed, delivered".[14]
Partisan breakdown of the new congressional map
[edit]
Republican gain Republican hold |
Democratic hold
|
| District | Incumbent | 2024 U.S. presidential result | Notional outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 map | Proposal[15] | |||
| 1st district | Jimmy Patronis (R) | +38.98% | +38.98% | Rep. hold |
| 2nd district | Neal Dunn (R) | +18.07% | +18.07% | Rep. hold |
| 3rd district | Kat Cammack (R) | +20.99% | +20.99% | Rep. hold |
| 4th district | Aaron Bean (R) | +11.80% | +11.80% | Rep. hold |
| 5th district | John Rutherford (R) | +21.34% | +21.34% | Rep. hold |
| 6th district | Randy Fine (R) | +29.99% | +29.99% | Rep. hold |
| 7th district | Cory Mills (R) | +12.42% | +12.42% | Rep. hold |
| 8th district | Mike Haridopolos (R) | +22.24% | +16.14% | Rep. hold |
| 9th district | Darren Soto (D) | −3.50% | +17.71% | Rep. gain |
| 10th district | Maxwell Frost (D) | −22.62% | −23.89% | Dem. hold |
| 11th district | Daniel Webster (R) | +16.20% | +15.63% | Rep. hold |
| 12th district | Gus Bilirakis (R) | +34.46% | +15.33% | Rep. hold |
| 13th district | Anna Paulina Luna (R) | +11.81% | +13.26% | Rep. hold |
| 14th district | Kathy Castor (D) | −7.64% | +10.47% | Rep. gain |
| 15th district | Laurel Lee (R) | +11.15% | +19.77% | Rep. hold |
| 16th district | Vern Buchanan (R) | +15.40% | +13.64% | Rep. hold |
| 17th district | Greg Steube (R) | +23.84% | +22.00% | Rep. hold |
| 18th district | Scott Franklin (R) | +29.31% | +16.90% | Rep. hold |
| 19th district | Byron Donalds (R) | +29.04% | +30.08% | Rep. hold |
| 20th district | Vacant | −39.49% | −37.06% | Dem. hold |
| 23rd district | Jared Moskowitz (D) | −1.90% | −13.77% | Dem. hold |
| 24th district | Frederica Wilson (D) | −29.95% | −38.62% | Dem. hold |
| 25th district | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) | −5.31% | +9.11% | Rep. gain |
| 26th district | Mario Díaz-Balart (R) | +34.86% | +18.32% | Rep. hold |
| 27th district | María Elvira Salazar (R) | +14.61% | +14.53% | Rep. hold |
| 28th district | Carlos A. Giménez (R) | +25.34% | +25.39% | Rep. hold |
Legality
[edit]On November 2, 2010, Florida voters approved a constitutional referendum, the Fair Districts Amendment, to make partisan gerrymandering unconstitutional.[16] The Florida Constitution was amended to include Article III, Section 20, which states:
Section 20. STANDARDS FOR ESTABLISHING CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
In establishing Congressional district boundaries:
- No apportionment plan or individual district shall be drawn with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or an incumbent; and districts shall not be drawn with the intent or result of denying or abridging the equal opportunity of racial or language minorities to participate in the political process or to diminish their ability to elect representatives of their choice; and districts shall consist of contiguous territory.
- Unless compliance with the standards in this subsection conflicts with the standards in subsection (1) or with federal law, districts shall be as nearly equal in population as is practicable; districts shall be compact; and districts shall, where feasible, utilize existing political and geographical boundaries.
- The order in which the standards within sub-sections (1) and (2) of this section are set forth shall not be read to establish any priority of one standard over the other within that subsection.[17]
Less than 24 hours since DeSantis signed the new map into law on May 4, 2026, multiple lawsuits by voting rights groups were filed, arguing that the new map violates the Fair Districts Amendment.[18][19] The lawsuits were consolidated into one case overseen by Judge Joshua Hawkes in Leon County, Florida.[20] On May 26, Judge Hawkes denied a preliminary injunction on the grounds that the election's filing deadline was too close for further changes.[21] In his decision, Judge Hawkes wrote:
To the extent the Court has to balance Florida’s [Fair Districts Amendment’s] prohibition of improper partisan intent and the United States Constitution’s Equal Protection guarantees, it seems clear that the potential partisan intent in the 2026 map is the lesser of the two evils.
Judge Hawkes also cited the Purcell principle, a judicial doctrine established by the U.S. Supreme Court advising courts to not change election rules in the lead-up to elections.[22] On May 26, the plaintiffs appealed Judge Hawkes decision to the Florida First District Court of Appeals.[23] On June 10, the Florida Supreme Court denied for lack of jurisdiction an emergency petition to hear the case; Justice Jorge Labarga is the lone dissenter.[24] Justice Adam Tanenbaum wrote a concurring opinion, stating:
The people of Florida can rest assured that elections will take place this year—under a redistricting law and an election code enacted by their Legislature, all as administered by various, capable state and local election officials—following which they will have their duly apportioned allotment of elected representatives in Congress. In the meantime, the plaintiffs will have their days in court, in due course, to be heard on the merits of their challenge to the new redistricting law—all in comportment with the reformed judicial system established by the people through their constitution.[25]
Although the lawsuits are ongoing, the new map will be used in the 2026 U.S. House elections as the federal qualifying deadline for candidates passed on June 12, leaving the courts no time to make a ruling.[26] DeSantis wrote on X that "The Florida Supreme Court has REJECTED the challenge to the state's redistricting plan and new map."[27] Florida Attorney General James Uthemeier called the decision a "complete and total victory." However, Equal Ground, one of the plaintiffs, stated "Let’s be clear, the Florida Supreme Court’s failure to stop this brazen partisan power grab is not only an assault on democracy, but an abdication of its duty to the people of Florida."[28]
Reactions
[edit]Support
[edit]The DeSantis administration has stated that the new map corrects issues found in the 2020 U.S. Census and addresses Florida's population growth between 2020 and 2025.[29]
Additionally, state officials have proclaimed that the new map resolves unconstitutional racial gerrymandering.[12] Republican lawyers have argued that the redistricting map aligns Florida with the ruling in Louisiana v. Callais which raised the threshold for lines drawn with race as a motivating factor to strict scrutiny, and that the Florida Constitution's Fair Districts Amendment does not meet the new burden.[30]
Criticism
[edit]Political commentators and officials have warned that drawing too aggressive of a gerrymander comes with the risk of diluting Republican majorities and creating more tossup districts to a point that, with a particularly strong swing, Democrats could end up gaining seats in a situation known as a dummymander.[31][32][33] DeSantis has shared this concern.[34]
Polling of Florida voters has shown that a majority oppose mid-decade political gerrymandering, including most independents and a sizable portion of Republican voters.[35][36][37] DeSantis shared a concern of voter backlash following Democrat Taylor Rehmet's upset victory in a Texas state election.[38]
Some political commentators questioned the DeSantis administration's claims that redistricting fixes alleged census errors.[39][40]
Democratic lawyers argued that no court has ever found issues in racial gerrymandering with the prior districting map or the Florida Constitution's Fair Districts Amendment.[30]
On May 14, 2026, Democratic state representative Angie Nixon was reprimanded by the Florida House Rules & Ethics Committee for "disruptive behavior" during the House floor vote on the new map for her use of a megaphone to interrupt the vote.[41] The following day, on May 15, Nixon was arrested for trespassing after staging a five-hour sit-in protest inside DeSantis's office at the Florida State Capitol; Nixon was booked into the Leon County Jail and later released. DeSantis labeled the sit-in as "performative nonsense."[42][43]
See also
[edit]- 2025 California Proposition 50 – US state constitutional amendment
- 2025 Missouri redistricting – Proposed change to congressional districts
- 2025 Texas redistricting – Mid-decade change to congressional district boundaries
- 2025 Virginia redistricting – Mid-decade change to congressional district boundariesPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
External links
[edit]- The newly-enacted map on Dave's Redistricting App. A detailed map of the proposed districts, including how they voted in past statewide elections, can be viewed there.
- The state's former map in use for the 2022 and 2024 elections on DRA.
Notes
[edit]- ↑ Allison Tant and Marie Woodson, both by mistake.
- ↑ Hillary Cassel, a Democrat until 2024
References
[edit]- ↑ Fineout, Gary (May 15, 2026). "Judge weighs effort to block new Florida congressional map". Politico. Archived from the original on May 16, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
- ↑ Fineout, Gary (January 7, 2026). "DeSantis calls April special legislative session on Florida congressional redistricting". Politico. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
- ↑ Fineout, Gary (April 27, 2026). "DeSantis unveils new GOP-friendly congressional map on eve of special session". Politico. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
- ↑ Ogles, Jacob (April 28, 2026). "Ron DeSantis staff acknowledges partisan info used to draw congressional map, Senate Committee advances it anyway". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- ↑ Ogles, Jacob (April 28, 2026). "House Redistricting Committee advances Ron DeSantis' proposed congressional map". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
- ↑ Fineout, Gary; Williams, Kylie (April 28, 2026). "DeSantis' Florida redistricting map advances — but draws GOP no votes, legal scrutiny". Politico. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- ↑ Perry, Mitch (April 29, 2026). "Florida House approves DeSantis' congressional redistricting map". Florida Phoenix. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
- ↑ Perry, Mitch (April 29, 2026). "Florida Legislature passes DeSantis' congressional redistricting map". Florida Phoenix. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- ↑ Scheckner, Jesse (April 29, 2026). "2 House members switch votes on GOP map redraw. One blamed 'commotion' over a bullhorn". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
- ↑ Dixon, Matt (April 29, 2026). "Florida Legislature passes redistricting plan creating four additional GOP-leaning House seats". NBC News. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Hurley, Lawrence (April 29, 2026). "Supreme Court sharply limits use of race in redistricting in a win for Republicans". NBC News. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 Perry, Mitch (April 30, 2026). "DeSantis takes a victory lap after Legislature OKs his redistricting map". Florida Phoenix. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "DeSantis says he'll sign Florida's new Congressional map 'as soon as I get it'". WTVJ. April 30, 2026. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ↑ "DeSantis signs Florida's new GOP-friendly congressional map into law — and is swiftly sued". POLITICO. May 4, 2026. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
- ↑ "Ron DeSantis Proposed Congressional Map - April 2026". Dave's Redistricting. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
- ↑ Dixon, Matt (April 27, 2026). "Ron DeSantis releases new congressional map creating four more GOP-leaning seats in Florida". NBC News. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
- ↑ Vela, Hatzel (April 29, 2026). "Florida Fair Districts Amendment: What is it and could the new map violate it?". NBC6 South Florida. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Ogles, Jacob (May 4, 2026). "Equal Ground challenges Florida's new congressional map in court". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Ogles, Jacob (May 5, 2026). "Voting rights groups bring third challenge to Florida's newly enacted congressional map". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
- ↑ Smith, Eren (May 27, 2026). "Florida Judge Refuses to Temporarily Block New State Congressional Map | State Court Report". State Court Report. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ Ellenbogen, Romy (May 26, 2026). "Effort to stop Florida's new, GOP-friendly congressional map blocked by judge". Miami Herald. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- ↑ Codrington, Wilfred (September 11, 2024). "States Grapple with Problematic Rule from Federal Voting Cases". State Court Report. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ Rice, Jen (May 26, 2026). "DeSantis-appointed judge allows Florida to use GOP gerrymander in 2026". Democracy Docket. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ Dixon, Matt (June 11, 2026). "Florida Supreme Court rejects challenge to new GOP-drawn congressional maps". NBC News. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Florida Supreme Court keeps new congressional redistricted maps in place for midterm elections". CBS News. June 10, 2026. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Florida Supreme Court allows GOP-backed congressional map to remain for 2026 elections". CBS12 News. June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ Matat, Stephany (June 10, 2026). "Florida Supreme Court won't block new congressional map". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Perry, Mitch (June 10, 2026). "Florida Supreme Court rejects emergency petition to stop DeSantis' redistricted congressional map • Florida Phoenix". Florida Phoenix. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Gancarski, A. G. (July 24, 2026). "Ron DeSantis says state is 'malapportioned,' calls for another round of redistricting". Florida Politics. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
- 1 2 Ogles, Jacob (June 8, 2026). "Florida House argues Fair Districts amendment should be tossed in full". Florida Politics. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ McCarthy, Mia; Bianco, Ali; Rogerson, Riley (April 27, 2026). "Florida Republicans make peace with proposed new House map". Politico. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
- ↑ Mia, Mia; Hill, Meredith; Fineout, Gary (May 25, 2026). "Special election shocker has Florida Republicans nervous about redistricting". Politico. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Salmon, Barrington (April 28, 2026). "DeSantis rolling the redistricting dice against the odds • Florida Phoenix". Florida Phoenix. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Gancarski, A. G. (May 22, 2026). "'Interesting dynamics': Ron DeSantis acknowledges Democrats may have 'winnable' opportunities with new congressional map". Florida Politics. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ↑ Gancarski, A. G. (April 2, 2026). "Poll: Majority of Floridians do not want congressional redistricting". Florida Politics. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Smith, Daniel (May 1, 2026). "Gerrymandering is unpopular with Florida voters – recent survey shows why DeSantis pushed for it". WLRN. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ↑ "Poll: Florida Republicans Don't Support Mid-Decade Redistricting". Common Cause Florida. September 9, 2025. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Bahney, Jennifer (February 1, 2026). "Ron DeSantis Sounds Alarm About GOP's Election Loss in Trump +17 TX District: A 'Swing of This Magnitude' Can't 'Be Dismissed'". Yahoo News. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Schnieder, Mike (September 4, 2025). "FACT FOCUS: DeSantis' misleading claims about why Florida missed out on a congressional seat". Associated Press. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ "DeSantis' misleading claims about why Florida missed out on a congressional seat". WLRN. September 4, 2025. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Caputo, Liv (May 14, 2026). "Ethics panel delivers first reprimand in 20 years over Angie Nixon's bullhorn • Florida Phoenix". Florida Phoenix. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- ↑ Soule, Douglas (May 18, 2026). "Watch: Lawmaker's sit-in against US House map that led to her arrest in DeSantis' office". WUSF. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- ↑ Taylor, Janelle Irwin (May 16, 2026). "Angie Nixon arrested at sit-in at Gov. DeSantis' office protesting 'gerrymandered maps'". Florida Politics. Retrieved June 27, 2026.