Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) promised on Friday to veto the Republican legislature’s redistricting map because it does not accurately reflect Florida’s growing population.
“I will veto the congressional reapportionment plan currently being debated by the House. DOA [dead on arrival],” DeSantis announced to put pressure on the legislature.
On Friday, establishment Republican House Speaker Chris Sprowls (R) with the House body conveyed a subpar map to the Florida Senate. Hours later, establishment Senate President Wilton Simpson (R) approved the map and sent it to DeSantis for his signature.
Thank you @GovRonDeSantis for pushing back against the RINOs in the Florida House
Proud to be one of the 7 Republicans who voted NO on this terrible & legally unsound map! https://t.co/Kqx5qfe0sk
— Rep. Anthony Sabatini (@AnthonySabatini) March 4, 2022
In January, the legislature began weighing DeSantis’s proposed map, which would generate 20 red districts and 8 Democrat districts. In comparison, the House version approved by the Senate would produce 18 red districts and 10 blue.
DeSantis’s map would terminate a Democrat district near Jacksonville by splitting it in two. It would also create a more favorable district near Tampa Bay and Pinellas County, an area that is turning red.
Former state senator and current Lake County Property appraiser Carey Baker told Breitbart News the Florida Legislature should work with DeSantis and not pass a map that he will veto.
“Governor DeSantis’s congressional map is both fair and constitutional,” Baker said. “There are easily 100 different ways to draw a constitutional redistricting map. I hope the legislature takes into count the Governor’s concern.”
Baker also said the current state map, which benefits Democrats, “was drawn by the Democrats and adopted by a liberal court.” Baker said in contrast, DeSantis’s map is “honest” and reflective of “actual voters’ performance in a strongly Republican state.”
BREAKING: FLORIDA SENATE LED BY RINO @WiltonSimpson JUST PASSED A PRO-DEMOCRAT GERRYMANDERED CONGRESSIONAL MAP WITH ‘VERY SERIOUS’ LEGAL ISSUES—THE BILL IS NOW HEADED TO @GovRonDeSantis DESK—WHO HAS PLEDGED TO VETO THE BILL
— Rep. Anthony Sabatini (@AnthonySabatini) March 4, 2022
Moving forward, Senate President Simpson and House Speaker Sprowls’ must decide whether to buck DeSantis, if DeSantis vetos the map, or draw a map that DeSantis will sign into law. The pending decision could create a visible schism between the state’s establishment and DeSantis’s muster.
The result of the dilemma will impact politics on a national level. Drawing favorable red districts in Florida would help Republicans win enough congressional seats in the November midterms. With Republicans in charge of the House, they would have an opportunity to impeach President Joe Biden, fire and investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci, stop the invasion on the southern border, and reduce the deaths from fentanyl.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.