Florida’s congressional map battle intensified Wednesday as Republican lawmakers advanced a new proposal expected to strengthen the GOP’s chances of holding the U.S. House in the 2026 midterms by reshaping several key battleground districts.
The Florida House approved the proposal during a special session in an 83-28 vote, sending the measure to the state Senate for final consideration.
Supporters, including Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), argue the redraw restores race-neutral districting standards and aligns congressional boundaries with constitutional requirements following the Supreme Court’s clarification on Voting Rights Act limits.
Under the new lines, Republicans are positioned to compete strongly across most of Florida’s 28 congressional districts, with several Democratic-held seats now moving into firmly competitive or GOP-leaning territory based on past electoral performance, according to Roll Call.
Analysts note the map would shift several key battleground districts toward Republicans, particularly in Central and South Florida, where recent Democratic advantages have been narrow and increasingly volatile in statewide elections.
Democrats quickly objected to the plan, accusing Republicans of using their legislative majority to cement long-term electoral gains.
GOP lawmakers counter that Democrats have relied on similar map-drawing advantages in states they control, including through court-backed redistricting processes.
“This bill is not redistricting reform. It’s a partisan map drawn in secret, on demand from Washington, and shoved through this chamber on a clock designed to keep the public out of the room,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said during debate.
The vote came in the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Louisiana redistricting ruling, in which the justices held that states cannot be compelled to draw additional majority-minority districts under an expansive interpretation of the Voting Rights Act.
The 6-3 decision is already reshaping legal arguments around race in redistricting and reinforcing limits on race-based map drawing nationwide, as Resist the Mainstream highlighted earlier.
DeSantis said the ruling validated Florida’s approach, noting he had anticipated the Court’s reasoning while pushing for a revised map that avoids race-driven district configurations.
“Called this one months ago,” DeSantis wrote on social media, according to Conservative Brief. “The decision implicates a district in FL—the legal infirmities of which have been corrected in the newly-drawn (and soon to be enacted) map.”
Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power also defended the state’s approach, saying the new maps better reflect voter realities and move away from earlier court-ordered configurations.
“Gone are the days of snake-shaped districts,” Power said, according to The Floridian. “Our maps are drawn fairly and reflect the makeup of our state. The truth is, Republicans hold a more than 1.4 million voter registration advantage in Florida.”
Legal challenges are expected once the map is finalized, with opponents likely turning again to Florida’s Fair District Amendments—provisions frequently used to block Republican-backed maps by alleging partisan intent.
Supporters argue the new plan follows constitutional standards and reflects recent Supreme Court guidance narrowing the use of race in redistricting.
The Florida fight is unfolding alongside a broader national redistricting wave, with Republican-led states moving quickly to adjust maps in response to the Court’s ruling, while Democrats pursue counter-efforts in states like California and Virginia to preserve or expand their own congressional advantages ahead of 2026.
WATCH:
