Kathy Castor blasts proposed new congressional lines while vowing to run for re-election

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor says she will run for re-election under any congressional map. But if the Florida Legislature values voters’ priorities, she said state lawmakers will vote down Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposed cartography.

“It’s blatantly illegal,” Castor said of the redistricting proposal. “Unlike a majority of states across the country, Florida outlawed partisan gerrymandering in 2010, and did that in an overwhelming bipartisan fashion.”

But despite the passage of the Fair Districts amendment barring partisan intent in map drawing, DeSantis transmitted a map with an argument that restriction violates the U.S. Constitution’s “equal protection clause,” then released his map first to Fox News with districts colored in red and blue.

The secrecy, with the map published just a day before a Special Session, offends Castor as much as anything.

“What a disservice to Floridians, who haven’t had any input whatsoever,” Castor said. “They are violating the constitution, and have done it now without the public having any say whatsoever. What a colossal waste of time and money. They will have lawsuits galore, and at a time when they should be focused on what should be important to hard-working Floridians.”

She said most voters want the Legislature to address electrical rates that are rising faster than almost anywhere in the country, expediting hurricane relief for some whose homes were damaged more than a year ago, and seeking solutions to rapid rises in healthcare and grocery costs.

“Why don’t they use this precious time to help people for a change, rather than piling on this soul-crushing affordability squeeze, which is due to their policies,” Castor said of lawmakers. “That’s why their policies are very unpopular, and why life is soul crushingly expensive for people. And it’s why they have to rig the map to win.”

She doesn’t believe Republicans’ plans to redraw a map to maintain a House majority will work out well. Voters, she said, are tired of “election rigging,” and want elected officials focused instead on pocketbook issues. Until then, she doesn’t want to discuss issues like how much the party should spend defending her seat or targeting Republicans potentially made vulnerable by the new map.

Of course, Castor has a particular reason to be upset about the map. It significantly alters the shape of Florida’s 14th Congressional District, which since 2022 covered much of Tampa and south St. Petersburg. That’s a district where more than 53% of voters in the 2024 Presidential Election supported Democrat Kamala Harris despite Republican Donald Trump winning Florida with 56% of the statewide vote.

Under the new map, CD 14 was carried by Trump with 54.5% of the vote, with much of her seat dispersed into neighboring seats that lean further right. The seat now extends east to more rural areas like Plant City and unincorporated Hillsborough County.

Castor, of note, did better than that, winning almost 57% of the vote in her last re-election bid while Republican Rocky Rochford won under 42%. Indeed, Castor outperformed Democratic President Joe Biden in the district in 2020, and Democratic President Barack Obama, who won the state twice. That makes her confident she can win re-election even in a district that leans slightly right.

“I always overperform,” Castor said, “because I serve all my neighbors. I have been an effective voice and deliver for them, and I have very effective constituent service.”

She’s confident her constituency includes enough Democrats, Republicans and other voters that she can run and win in a district of her choice in November. But until — and unless — the Legislature approves a change in congressional maps, she doesn’t intend to announce where she will run. She hopes lawmakers think twice about thrusting the state into what she said will be endless litigation.