DeSantis to Draw Florida’s Congressional Map in Rare Move Denounced By State Dems as ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Undemocratic’

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Florida’s Republican-dominated state legislature, in a rare move, empowered Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) to draw the state’s Congressional districts on Monday.

DeSantis vetoed a map drawn by the legislature earlier this year, objecting to a majority-Black district drawn along the Florida-Georgia border. DeSantis claimed the gerrymandered map was unconstitutional, despite the map favoring Republicans in a new district allotted to Florida based on the recent census.

Florida state House Speaker Chris Sprowls and state Senate President Wilton Simpson, both Republicans, released a memo Monday night announcing their decision to allow DeSantis to draw a map he would support and make into law.

“Our goal during the special session is to pass a new congressional map that will both earn the Governor’s signature and withstand legal scrutiny, if challenged,” the memo said, adding, “At this time, Legislative reapportionment staff is not drafting or producing a map for introduction during the special session. We are awaiting a communication from the Governor’s Office with a map that he will support.”

The Miami Herald quoted Democratic lawmakers in the state denouncing the move, calling it “undemocratic” and “dangerous.”

“Whatever happened to the separation of powers?” state Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, told the Herald. “The fact that the Florida Legislature is just bending over backward to do what the governor wants. I mean, why are we elected? At this point, we might as well give the governor a pen and paper and he will just redraw the maps himself.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida also slammed the rare move, writing:

This is a dangerous and unprecedented move. The Florida legislature’s decision to cede this decennial process of redrawing lines for congressional districts to Gov. DeSantis is undemocratic. People should pick their politicians, not the other way around.

The Hill notes that any map favoring Republicans is “almost certain” to be challenged before the Florida Supreme Court, which in the past has ruled against partisan gerrymandering.

“But Republicans hope for a more favorable court this year. Three of the seven justices are DeSantis appointees, and all seven justices were appointed by Republican governors,” added The Hill.