‘Bold call’ or ‘corruption’? Florida GOP, Dems split on congressional redistricting

Predictable partisan divisions are emerging on whether Florida needs to again redraw its congressional map.

Amid concerns from President Donald Trump that illegal immigrants skewed the census count in favor of Democratic states and assertions from Gov. Ron DeSantis that Florida was “gypped” out of seats, the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) is emphatically supporting a call for a redistricting Special Session from House Speaker Daniel Perez.

“The Florida Republican Party stands firmly behind (Trump, DeSantis and Perez), who are united in their bold call for a new U.S. Census and subsequent redistricting to ensure fair representation for Floridians,” said RPOF Chair Evan Power.

The process going forward is murky, and it’s uncertain how a fresh census would be conducted and completed in time for the Midterm Elections that could flip the House to Democrats if the current maps stand.

Historically, censuses take years to complete, given the need to ramp up field operations, to give citizens time to respond and to then hire temporary workers to visit those who don’t respond voluntarily.

Nonetheless, Power feels that Florida was shortchanged in favor of other states, amplifying an argument made by DeSantis and others.

“This is about fair representation. The 2020 Census gave Florida a raw deal — undercounting our population and costing us the congressional representation we rightfully deserve. Florida should have received at least two additional congressional seats, but we were shortchanged with only one,” Power said.

“On top of that, illegal immigration has skewed apportionment nationwide. United as we are, we can rest assured our legislature will act swiftly to correct this injustice.”

A new map could target swingier seats held by Democrats Jared Moskowitz and Darren Soto in the short term, but it would be difficult under current federal law to factor in “the results and information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024,” as Trump says he wants to do, without conducting a full new census.

Democrats, who control just eight of 28 Florida seats, aren’t happy about the prospect of further marginalization.

“This is corruption, plain and simple. The Speaker is abusing his power and breaking with decades of precedent to rig the system in favor of Republicans,” reads a statement from the Florida Democratic Party.

“Congressional maps are drawn once a decade, after a Federal census, not when a political party is afraid of losing power. By convening this Select Committee, Florida Republicans are attempting a blatant power grab that will silence the voices of Florida’s voters, especially Black and brown voters ahead of the mid-term elections.”

Rep. Anna Eskamani also promises resistance in the Florida House.

“Not good, Florida Republican Leadership are launching a ‘Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting’ to redraw and gerrymander maps again — we will do everything we can to push back.”

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