Governor Ron DeSantis submitted a proposed congressional map to the Florida legislature on 27 April, ahead of Special Session D opening Tuesday 28 April1. The map creates 24 Republican-leaning and 4 Democratic-leaning districts, restructuring from the current 20-7 configuration. It threatens four Democratic incumbents including Reps Kathy Castor of Tampa and Darren Soto of Central Florida.
Florida is proceeding without waiting for the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, the case testing whether VRA (Voting Rights Act) Section 2 still requires majority-minority congressional districts. Section 2 requires states to draw at least one district where a racial minority is large enough to elect its preferred candidate. DeSantis had originally timed the session to await that ruling; his 15 April proclamation delayed the session to today; the ruling has not arrived. Maryland's competing Democratic redistricting effort collapsed on the same date the State Senate adjourned, 14 April, leaving Florida as the only Republican-led mid-decade redistricting track with congressional impact this cycle.
Proceeding without the ruling creates a double-exposure risk. A map that retains majority-minority districts could be voided if Callais strikes down Section 2; a map that eliminates them could be voided if Callais upholds it. The map also faces challenge under Florida's Fair Districts Amendment, Article III Section 20 of the state constitution, which prohibits partisan gerrymandering as a matter of state law independent of the federal VRA question. Black Voters Matter Fund, the US civil-rights organisation, has published analysis estimating a Callais ruling striking down Section 2 could give Republicans 27 additional safe House seats nationally, with 19 directly tied to the Section 2 question2. Counter-view from Florida Republicans: some have publicly criticised how DeSantis has handled the process, which is unusual within his own caucus and suggests the procedural haste is not driven by legislative consensus.
