Rep. Haridopolos to Newsmax: Redistricting Fight Fueled by Blue States

As redistricting battles intensify nationwide following a major Supreme Court ruling, Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., on Monday defended Republican-led efforts as "logical."

He also pushed back against Democrat criticism that the moves are discriminatory.

Florida has become a central front in the latest national redistricting fight, with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature approving a new congressional map in April 2026 during a special session.

Haridopolos argued on Newsmax's "National Report" that Florida's congressional map reflects a fairer approach compared with maps in Democrat-led states.

"Well, look, I think what it comes down to is let's true maps just like the senator from Georgia talked about," Haridopolos said. "And if you look at the state of Florida, you can actually see logical maps.

"We keep counties and cities together, unlike the monstrosity you see right now in Virginia and states like Illinois. It's a logical thing to do."

States across the country are considering mid-decade redistricting after the Supreme Court weakened key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, a decision that has triggered renewed map-drawing efforts in both Republican- and Democrat-led states.

The ruling has already prompted action in states such as Alabama and Louisiana, with officials weighing new congressional maps that could shift the balance of power in the U.S. House.

The Florida plan is expected to significantly boost Republican representation, potentially shifting the state’s delegation to a 24-4 advantage for Republicans.

The redraw targets several Democrat-leaning regions, including parts of Orlando, Tampa, and South Florida, and has sparked immediate criticism and anticipated legal challenges, particularly over whether it violates Florida's constitutional limits on partisan gerrymandering.

Haridopolos rejected claims that Republican-led redistricting efforts are partisan overreach, instead pointing to what he described as long-standing Democrat advantages.

"Let's also not let the national media carry the narrative," he said. "It was the state of New York in 2023 that started this whole chain reaction, not the state of Texas."

He added that Republican lawmakers are comfortable defending their approach.

"So we feel very comfortable with the map that they created in Florida," Haridopolos said. "Again, just take a simple look at it. It looks like a box as opposed to a Rorschach test, which it looks like in Illinois."

The broader redistricting fight could have significant electoral consequences, with some analyses suggesting that changes in multiple states could affect dozens of congressional districts and potentially reshape House control ahead of future elections.

Haridopolos also emphasized what he described as a "colorblind" approach to drawing districts, echoing arguments from other Republican lawmakers.

"What we should do is also have congressional districts that aren't trying to give one advantage over another," he said. "We should represent the districts that we serve in the idea that they have common interests."

Democrats, however, have sharply criticized the push, with Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., calling it "Jim Crow 2.0" and arguing that Republican lawmakers are executing a long-planned strategy.

Haridopolos dismissed that characterization.

"Well, it's a shame," he said. "I mean, you always see the people throw the race card out there.

"In the end, you have to go and stand before your voters and yes or no on or have a contest."

He added that maps should not be designed to favor specific groups.

"I'm not sure why he thinks that we need to draw lines to give one group of people an advantage over another," Haridopolos said.

The Florida Republican pointed again to visual differences between maps as evidence of fairness.

"Look, it's a picture, speaks a thousand words," he said. "Look at a typical Democrat state map ... and look at Illinois ... and more recently in California. In contrast, look at the map in Florida."

As more states consider redistricting in response to the court's decision, the political and legal battles over congressional maps are expected to continue, with both parties maneuvering for advantage ahead of upcoming election cycles.

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