florida republican party On Wednesday, it approved a new Congressional map aimed at lock-in. republican party It’s powerful washington and give their party up to four more U.S. House seats.
The Florida Legislature passed a mid-decade redraw in a special session called by Gov. Ron DeSantis, moving forward with a plan that could shift the state’s legislative caucus from a 20-8 Republican advantage to as much as a 24-4 advantage. According to Associated Press. The House approved the map by a vote of 83-28, and the Senate followed suit by a vote of 21-17, despite opposition from Democrats, voting rights advocates and several Republicans who left the party.
The proposal would redraw the Orlando and Tampa St. Paul districts. Critics say it will weaken some Democratic-held seats in St. Petersburg and South Florida, further diluting black voting power in parts of the state. One of the most controversial changes would eliminate majority-black districts and divide Democratic-leaning communities into safer Republican areas, according to the Associated Press.
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Voting took place on the same day United States Supreme Court dominated Louisiana vs. Calais, It will be harder to challenge maps that weaken black political power under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Justice Elena Kagan warned in a dissenting opinion that the ruling rendered Article II “almost a dead giveaway.”
Equality Florida denounced the map, arguing that the Florida Constitution still provides stronger protections through the voter-approved Fair Districts Amendment, which prohibits partisan gerrymandering.
“This map is illegal, unconstitutional and a blatant partisan power grab,” John Harris Maurer, the group’s general counsel and director of public policy, said in a statement. “It will silence voters, especially black and brown Floridians. LGBTQ Floridians, young people and others are already far too underrepresented. ”
Maurer said the special session is not about housing or insurance costs, but about “rigging the system” before the 2026 midterm elections.
The fight in Florida comes as redistricting battles intensify across the United States. last week, virginia Voters approved the Democratic Party-Supported referendum They would have redrawn the statehouse map. Ten of the 11 House districts will favor Democrats, potentially flipping four seats held by Republicans. A Tazewell County judge blocked certification, and the Virginia Supreme Court did not allow the results to take effect until the case was pending.
“When leaders ignore the Constitution, the courts are the next line of defense,” Maurer said.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
