It seems like forever. But it was only two days ago that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled his vision of what Florida would look like if it, too, got into redistricting.
Now, it's not really that big a deal here, as the state is deep, deep red, with 20 Republican districts to a measly 8 Democratic ones as it stands right now. But I guess the governor wanted to clean up the edges of some of the wonkier ones while he had a chance - you know, make them more sensible geographically as opposed to demographically, so he debuted this the other day.
Breaking: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unveils new congressional map Per Fox
ā OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) April 27, 2026
Current Map:
š“ Republicans: 20
šµ Democrats: 8
New Map:
š“ Republicans: 24 (+4)
šµ Democrats: 4 (-4) pic.twitter.com/FlUADVjKwT
Clean and mean, huh?
What kind of gave me a giggle was who was going to be affected by the downward shift in assumed Democratic districts from 8 to the proposed 4.
I can't stop smiling at one of the names.
#FL09 Darren Soto (D)
#FL14 Kathy Castor (D)
#FL23 Jared Moskowitz (D)
#FL25 Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D)
SQUEEE!!!!
I know, I know - don't count your greasy curly-haired losers before they're booted. But it's fun imagining it.
The Florida legislature was actually on the job in Tallahassee yesterday to debate and perhaps pass this redistricting plan of the governor's. And much of the back and forth among Republicans was concerned with two things. For one, the painful memories of the foiled 2012 attempt, when the courts shut down Don Gaetz's map and then forced them into a redraw that actually worked out more favorably for Democrats.
That left a mark and a near-fatal case of PTRS - Post Traumatic Redistricting Syndrome.
...Gaetz, a Panhandle Republican and former Senate president, chaired Floridaās 2012 redistricting effort ā a process that later unraveled in court. The Republican-drawn map was ultimately struck down after judges found it was tainted by improper political influence, violating the stateās Fair Districts amendments aimed at limiting partisan gerrymandering.
The result forced a redraw that produced a map more favorable to Democrats, undercutting the GOPās original goals.
That history gives added weight to Gaetzās comment on the DeSantis map on April 29: āI am not persuaded this map is necessarily beneficial to Republicans.ā
And, yes - that's Matt's daddy. He's a wily old Florida Panhandle political fox.
The other was the looming Louisiana redistricting case at the Supreme Court, with a verdict due to come down at any moment. Everything they might do hinged on what the SCOTUS justices decided. Part of the DeSantis argument for the new map was that one of the current districts had been drawn specifically to racial guidelines, and if SCOTUS negated those rules, well, then there was an illegal district existing that had to be redrawn.
He's also betting the numbers that it's nearly impossible to gerrymander a 'partisan map' when the registration is so overwhelmingly in one party's favor. In 2018, Democrats in Florida had a 260K+ advantage over Republicans. Today, Republicans outnumber Democrats in registration by 1.5 MILLION.
Now, that's a RED state.
There was also a conflict with the Florida state constitution over 'Fair Districts' that had to be resolved, but DeSantis argues a SCOTUS decision may nullify the state constitution.
...Here's why: Florida voters in 2010 passed the state's Fair Districts amendments, which among other things prohibit drawing maps with the intent to favor a political party. But DeSantis has argued the legal basis for the amendments is likely to collapse, pointing to a pending decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. The upshot? They're unconstitutional and no longer binding, Axelman said.
Regardless, Democrats and voting rights groups promised a swift challenge in court when the DeSantis map passes. As Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic election lawyer known for leading high-profile voting rights and redistricting challenges across the country, posted on X: "My promise: If Florida enacts this, it will be sued."
As the Florida House continued its question and answer period, word of the SCOTUS decision came down...
Driskell informed the chamber that the U.S. Supreme Court had just released its decision on a key provision of a landmark civil rights law enacted 60 years ago to prevent racial discrimination in voting.
In one of its biggest cases of the year, the court on Oct. 15 had discussed for two-and-a-half hours about whether electoral districts can be created to protect the voting rights of minorities without discriminating against voters of other races.
As many predicted, the 6ā3 decision penned by conservative Justice Samuel Alito essentially said that they can't ā giving loft to the DeSantis administration's position that race can't be used to draw districts because it's unconstitutional.
Called this one months ago.
ā Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) April 29, 2026
The decision implicates a district in FL ā the legal infirmities of which have been corrected in the newly-drawn (and soon to be enacted) map. pic.twitter.com/p9VbStvxf3
...and, when a request for a two-hour delay was voted down, it was Katy-bar-the-door time.
Right at the finish line, Democrats went from heartfelt emotional arguments in nearly reasonable tones...
WATCH: Moments before final passage of Floridaās new congressional map in the House, Democrats pushed back hard on the floor, calling it a rushed, unconstitutional, partisan gerrymander that sidesteps Fair Districts and shuts voters out.
ā Floridaās Voice (@FLVoiceNews) April 29, 2026
Rep. Anna Eskamani: "This isā¦ pic.twitter.com/yFZIwoFogl
...Rep. Anna Eskamani: "This is unprecedented, you would be with your hair on fire if the shoe was on the other side of the aisle."
...to the unhinged, screaming, performative theater they've become so associated with when things aren't going their way.
As the Florida House approved the @GovRonDeSantis map with new congressional districts-- Rep. @AngieNixon grabbed a bullhorn and protested the passage on the floor.
ā Forrest Saunders (@FBSaunders) April 29, 2026
"This is a violation of the constitution," Nixon shouted. Here's the clip: pic.twitter.com/01iuWl17uR
WON'T SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP THAT POOR WOMAN?
šØ THE FLORIDA HOUSE JUST PASSED THE STATEāS NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP
ā Matt Sharpsteen (@mattsharpsteen) April 29, 2026
Thank you @Daniel_PerezFL and @jenna_persons for your leadership!
Only ONE sad Democrat protesting.
Now lunch ā and onto the Senate! pic.twitter.com/mJd3KRekUp
The House passed it with two confused Democrats - because of all the shouting - having voted 'yea' initially and asking to change their votes afterward.
...Two House Democrats say they accidentally voted for the DeSantis redistricting map and changed their votes from 'yea' to 'nay' for the official record.
Reps. Allison Tant of Tallahassee and Marie Woodson of Hollywood submitted explanations that were posted on the House website later on April 29.
In a social media post, Tant blamed the error on "the chaos" that erupted as the vote was called, when Democratic Rep. Angie Nixon pulled out a megaphone to condemn the vote as "violating the Constitution."
Amid the noisy protest, Tant's seat mate thought it was a quorum call and voted her present as she rushed back to her seat. When she made it the machines were locked and the lawmakers realized it was not a quorum call.
DERP
The Senate was on stand-by waiting for the bill and, after taking an hour to review the SCOTUS Louisiana decision, took it up immediately.
As two Senate Republicans were missing, Senate Democrats tried a last-minute appeal to have three other senators cross the aisle and help them stop the plan, but it fell on deaf ears.
They passed it, too, this afternoon.
...With a final 21-17 vote by the Senate, the Florida Legislature on April 29 did what its Republican governor and U.S. president wanted it to do: Redraw the state's congressional district boundaries to increase the chances of electing more Republicans to the U.S. House.
The congressional redistricting plan, drawn by a DeSantis staffer the weekend before the special session, appears to violate the state constitution while creating four new likely GOP seats, a goal set by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The current delegation is 20 Republicans and seven Democrats, with one vacancy created by the recent resignation of Democrat Sheila CherfilusāMcCormick.
The passage was in some sense a pro forma: Fractured along party lines, the GOP-dominated House advanced the new district boundaries April 29, even as one Democrat disrupted the vote by screaming over a toy bullhorn, "This is a violation of the constitution!"
The similarly Republican-controlled Senate, steered by the gravitas of Sen. Don Gaetz, who sponsored the map there, followed suit later in the day. "It's not the governor's bill anymore. It's our bill ... it's our decision," he told fellow lawmakers.
The map is on its way to DeSantis for a signature.
Floridaās new congressional districts are headed to ā¦@GovRonDeSantisā© after clearing Senate with a 21-17 vote. pic.twitter.com/K3SeABmwcW
ā Forrest Saunders (@FBSaunders) April 29, 2026
And shortly thereafter, no doubt, to the courts.
Bring some batteries for those bullhorns.
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