Florida House Democrats blasted Gov. Ron DeSantis the day before a special session on redistricting for dragging the state into a nationwide, bare-knuckle partisan fight over congressional maps.
Meantime, they said, the GOP majority has not addressed core priorities, such as passing a state budget.
House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of Tampa on April 27 said this week’s four-day special session is a waste of time and money. On a Zoom call, she called DeSantis’ proposed congressional district map an “abomination” of illegal gerrymandering.
DeSantis has said Florida needs a new map because of population growth and to legally comply with a forthcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision he expects will weaken or reinterpret parts of the Voting Rights Act.
But Driskell said DeSantis has pulled the Republican-led state Legislature into a battle over control of the U.S. House at a time lawmakers have failed to address critical work.
Special sessions enable the Legislature to complete work left unfinished during the regular session and lawmakers have already scheduled two this year, with DeSantis pledging to call a third.
Driskell said intra-party disputes among Republicans, who hold a supermajority in the Legislature, and their inability to complete work on time reveal a dysfunctional party is in control at the Florida Capitol.
“We have one constitutional obligation and that is to pass a balanced budget every year during regular session. This is the second year where we have not been able to get things done,” Driskell said.
The Legislature will consider a DeSantis proposal that is expected to help the GOP pick up four additional seats in Florida. That will cancel out the four additional House seats Democrats are expected to pick up in Virginia.
Virginia voters approved a new map this month that was promoted in response to Texas and other states’ GOP-led redistricting. It is currently under a court challenge.
Republicans hold only a narrow majority in the U.S. House, meaning a swing of just a few seats could flip control.
Florida is the last Republican-led controlled state to make a move in a nation-wide battle to redraw maps. But Driskell said there is no groundswell in Florida for redistricting.
“At least not in my community. They’re asking for relief from a property insurance crisis. They’re asking for affordable housing, lower utility rates and help with kitchen table issues,” Driskell said.
The special session is scheduled to begin in Tallahassee at 10 a.m. on April 28.
James Call is a member of the Network’s Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com and is on X as @CallTallahassee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida Democrats blast DeSantis over redistricting plan
Reporting by James Call, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
