Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed a new congressional map aimed at flipping four Democratic US House of Representatives seats in November’s midterm election, further escalating a coast-to-coast redistricting war that has already reshaped dozens of districts nationwide.
It remains unclear whether the map, introduced on Monday, has enough support in the Republican-controlled state legislature to pass. DeSantis has called lawmakers to convene a special session starting on Tuesday to consider his plan.
The map, which DeSantis first shared with Fox News, would likely give Republicans 24 of the state’s 28 US House seats, up from its current 20-8 majority.
Republicans can afford to lose only two House seats in November’s election to retain a majority. A Democratic-led House could initiate investigations into President Donald Trump’s administration while blocking his legislative agenda.
Last week in Virginia, voters narrowly approved a Democratic-backed map that targets four Republican incumbents there. Republicans have filed several lawsuits challenging the validity of the ballot measure, and the Virginia Supreme Court on Monday heard arguments in one of those cases.
Any successful redistricting in Florida would likely face its own legal challenges. In 2010, voters approved a constitutional amendment explicitly banning lawmakers from drawing district lines for political gain, a practice known as gerrymandering.
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