In brief
Democratic representatives and voters have contested new congressional districts in Florida, arguing they infringe upon the state's constitutional ban on partisan gerrymandering. The court ruling on this matter could significantly affect elections as Republicans aim for additional seats in the House. Amidst this, President Trump's call for mid-decade redistricting has amplified tensions across multiple states.
New U.S. House districts that could help Republicans win several additional seats in Florida got their first test in court Friday against assertions that they violate a state constitutional ban on partisan gerrymandering.
Attorneys representing voters asked a state judge to block the new districts from being used in the midterm elections and instead reinstate districts used for previous elections. Such a move would create a significant wrinkle in President Donald Trump's attempt to hold on to a narrow House majority by redrawing voting districts to the GOP’s advantage. The judge gave no timetable for when he will rule.
Florida’s new House map is part of a national redistricting battle that gained steam last year when Trump urged Texas Republicans to redraw the state’s congressional districts. The Texas Supreme Court recently refused to declare that Democratic lawmakers had vacated their offices when they briefly fled the state to block a redistricting vote.
On Friday, Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee announced that he is ending his reelection bid. His decision came a week after Tennessee Republicans enacted a new U.S. House map that carves up Cohen’s majority-Black district in Memphis. The new map gives Republicans a shot at winning all nine of Tennessee’s U.S. House seats.
Republicans currently hold 20 of Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats. New voting districts signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis after a swift two-day special legislative session could enhance the GOP’s chances to win four additional seats in the November elections.
Lawsuits filed on behalf of voters seek a temporary injunction against the new House map for violating that amendment. Their arguments focus heavily on political favoritism. Under the new House map, 82% of voters in districts represented by Republicans remain in the same districts as under the previous map, while just 41% of voters in districts represented by Democrats are kept in their same districts. Attorney Chris Shenton, who represented Common Cause, indicated this suggests Democratic districts are being targeted for reconfiguration to favor Republicans.
It shows that Democratic districts are being targeted for reconfiguration. And why? To favor Republicans and disfavor Democrats. That is unconstitutional, Shenton said.
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