TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – Florida redrew its Congressional maps ahead of schedule in a way that was supposed to increase the number of Republicans in Congress, but that didn’t happen last week.
Florida was one of many states to redraw the map without new Census data, but it didn’t net Republicans any more seats. There’s still 20 Republicans and eight Democrats in our Congressional delegation.
“So, when I say everybody knows that there’s been partisan gerrymandering, I think everybody really knows it,” UCF Associate Professor Aubrey Jewett said. “But proving that in court or whether it’s even going to be considered unconstitutional in Florida anymore, it’s a whole different story.”
Florida politics:
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state needed to redraw to avoid racial gerrymandering and the Supreme Court ruled partisan gerrymandering was legal.
After the election he said it could’ve been way worse for Florida Republicans even though they didn’t pick up any seats.
“But when the primary was over, I had a lot of these people here at the house and we sat them down. We’re just socializing. I said, ‘If the president won your district by 13 you’re in a low single digit race. Just understand that,’” DeSantis said.
A Congressional recount is underway in Florida’s 27th district, in the Miami area. The Republican candidate is leading in unofficial results so, Democrats are unlikely to pick up and of Florida’s seats.
Experts say the partisan gerrymander may still pay off for Republicans in the future. President Trump won each of the new districts in the past.
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