A Florida state representative said Friday that she was arrested in the state’s capitol during a sit-in protest at Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office against what she called illegal congressional maps. Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, announced her arrest that evening via a news release. “My commitment has always been to the people of my district and to the Constitution I swore to uphold, not to any political party or agenda,” Nixon said in a statement. “I will continue to honor that commitment by fighting against injustice, defending our democracy, and demanding action on the issues that matter most to the people we serve.” When WESH 2 News asked the governor’s office for comment, it replied with two screenshots of X posts that Gov. DeSantis had since made to his profile. In one of the screenshots, DeSantis quoted an X post made by his chief of staff, Jason Weida. Weida wrote, “Reprimanded and now arrested,” while DeSantis replied, “Deservedly so. Our office isn’t a platform for this performative nonsense.” The other screenshot sent to WESH 2 News by Gov. DeSantis’ office showed his response to a post made on the matter by Eric Daugherty, a conservative media personality. Daugherty wrote, in part, “Gov. Ron DeSantis just had ghetto Rep. Angie Nixon (D) ARRESTED after she did an illegal ‘SIT-IN’ at his office because of the 2026 Florida House map that adds +4 GOP seats,” to which DeSantis replied, “FAFO.” At latest, a circuit judge in Tallahassee is reviewing evidence, attorney arguments and case law to decide whether or not to grant an injunction requested by voting-rights groups to stop the state’s new congressional map from being used this election year. With groups Common Cause and Equal Ground among plaintiffs, the lawsuit was brought in hopes of preventing what they call an illegal and unconstitutional power grab by Gov. DeSantis and Republican leadership in an attempt to secure four more Florida seats in Congress this year. That could leave Democrats with just four out of 28 seats statewide. The map was drawn by a policy staffer in DeSantis’ office and was signed by the governor on May 4. Rep. Nixon’s Friday statement continued, “I will not allow our rights and representation to be taken away in silence. At a time when people need their leadership to step up and govern, Gov. DeSantis and the Republican-controlled legislature in Florida are playing politics with people’s lives. I was arrested today along with outraged constituents demanding action instead of doing the job taxpayers send them to Tallahassee for. I am calling for the release of all the peaceful protesters arrested today and for this legislature to revisit the Constitution they claim to uphold so that we can have representative maps.”
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —
A Florida state representative said Friday that she was arrested in the state’s capitol during a sit-in protest at Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office against what she called illegal congressional maps.
Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, announced her arrest that evening via a news release.
“My commitment has always been to the people of my district and to the Constitution I swore to uphold, not to any political party or agenda,” Nixon said in a statement. “I will continue to honor that commitment by fighting against injustice, defending our democracy, and demanding action on the issues that matter most to the people we serve.”
When WESH 2 News asked the governor’s office for comment, it replied with two screenshots of X posts that Gov. DeSantis had since made to his profile.
In one of the screenshots, DeSantis quoted an X post made by his chief of staff, Jason Weida.
Weida wrote, “Reprimanded and now arrested,” while DeSantis replied, “Deservedly so. Our office isn’t a platform for this performative nonsense.”
The other screenshot sent to WESH 2 News by Gov. DeSantis’ office showed his response to a post made on the matter by Eric Daugherty, a conservative media personality.
Daugherty wrote, in part, “Gov. Ron DeSantis just had ghetto Rep. Angie Nixon (D) ARRESTED after she did an illegal ‘SIT-IN’ at his office because of the 2026 Florida House map that adds +4 GOP seats,” to which DeSantis replied, “FAFO.”
At latest, a circuit judge in Tallahassee is reviewing evidence, attorney arguments and case law to decide whether or not to grant an injunction requested by voting-rights groups to stop the state’s new congressional map from being used this election year.
With groups Common Cause and Equal Ground among plaintiffs, the lawsuit was brought in hopes of preventing what they call an illegal and unconstitutional power grab by Gov. DeSantis and Republican leadership in an attempt to secure four more Florida seats in Congress this year. That could leave Democrats with just four out of 28 seats statewide.
The map was drawn by a policy staffer in DeSantis’ office and was signed by the governor on May 4.
Rep. Nixon’s Friday statement continued, “I will not allow our rights and representation to be taken away in silence. At a time when people need their leadership to step up and govern, Gov. DeSantis and the Republican-controlled legislature in Florida are playing politics with people’s lives. I was arrested today along with outraged constituents demanding action instead of doing the job taxpayers send them to Tallahassee for. I am calling for the release of all the peaceful protesters arrested today and for this legislature to revisit the Constitution they claim to uphold so that we can have representative maps.”