By The Diary
Florida was this Wednesday one step away from redrawing its political map ahead of the November legislative elections, after its Legislature approved a new redistricting that could further strengthen the Republican majority in the United States House of Representatives.
The proposal, promoted this week by Governor Ron DeSantis, received the support of both state chambers, controlled by the Republican Party. Now all that remains is the president’s signature for it to come into force before the midterm elections.
If finalized, the new map could add up to four additional seats to the Republican caucus in Washington, according to estimates by voting advocacy groups.. The change would have significant weight in an election in which the House of Representatives, currently under narrow Republican control, will be completely renewed.
The vote in Florida came shortly after the Supreme Court issued a decision limiting the scope of historic protections under the Balloting Rights Act of 1965 for racial and ethnic minorities.
DeSantis maintained that this ruling supports the legality of his proposal and eliminates obstacles that, in his opinion, affected the application of certain provisions of the state Constitution.
Organizations like Voto Latino warned that the new design could further reduce Democratic representation. Although that party obtained about 43% of the votes in Florida in 2024, its presence in the federal delegation would be well below that proportion.
Currently, Florida’s representation in the lower house is made up of 20 Republicans and 7 Democrats, following the vacancy left by the resignation of Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.
Election fight
Florida thus joins a growing list of states that have modified their electoral districts before the November elections. The dispute over the redesign of maps has intensified in both parties, in a context in which each seat could be decisive for control of Congress.
The controversy was amplified this same day with another judicial decision: The Supreme Court annulled the legislative map of Louisiana considering that its design depended excessively on racial criteria, a ruling celebrated by Republican sectors and criticized by civil rights organizations.
For defenders of the right to vote, The combination of these decisions could weaken electoral protections for minorities.
María Teresa Kumar, president of Voto Latino, warned that the new scenario makes it easier for lawmakers to redraw districts in ways that reduce the political influence of historically marginalized communities.
Keep reading:
• Ron DeSantis promotes a new electoral map in Florida that would give 4 more seats to Republicans in Congress
• Virginia Supreme Court studies blocking the electoral map that would favor Democrats
• Supreme Court allows Texas to pass new electoral map favorable to Republicans