Ron DeSantis' congressional maps netted Florida Republicans four additional House seats on Election Day – and essentially helped the GOP win its tiny majority
The redistricting plan crafted by Gov. Ron DeSantis boosted Republican leaning seats to 20 out of 28, four more than the plan drawn by GOP lawmakers. | Rebecca Blackwell/AP PhotoTALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was heavily criticized last spring when he pushed Republican lawmakers to adopt congressional maps that were much more friendly to the GOP.
“The slim new Republican majority in the House would have been even smaller without Florida,” he added. The DeSantis map was contested by Democrats and voting rights groups, especially because it erased North Florida’s traditional Black-performing congressional district held by former Rep. Al Lawson , who lost his bid for re-election when he challenged Rep. Neal Dunn in a Republican-leaning seat. Several groups who sued to get the maps tossed alleged overt politics was the reason for changing Lawson’s district. That legal challenge is ongoing.
Headed into Election Night, many predicted a national red wave that would have seen Republicans gain a significant majority. That didn’t materialize, leaving GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy with a much slimmer majority — a potential headache as he tries to wrangle an unruly caucus. Several of the caucus’ far-right members,, have opposed McCarthy becoming speaker if the GOP takes control of the chamber.
Seats like Miami’s 27th Congressional District, held by Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, was nationally watched and, on paper, competitive. But she blew out Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo, 57-42. Likewise, in Pinellas County’s 13th Congressional District that was held by former Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist, who resigned to run for governor, Republican Anna Paulina Luna easily beat Democrat Eric Lynn, 53-45, in a race that was supposed to be one of the midterm’s most competitive.
In May, U.S. District Court Judge J. Layne Smith ruled against the DeSantis drawn maps because he said the new north Florida seat “diminishes African Americans ability to elect candidates of their choice,” which is in violation of Fair Districts, the anti-gerrymandering provisions in the state constitution.
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