Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed a new congressional map Monday in an effort to add four Republican House seats, less than a week after Virginia passed a referendum that would likely add four Democrat seats, the Washington Examiner reported Monday.
Under the proposal by the GOP governor, only four of the state's 28 seats would lean Democrat.
Florida is currently represented in the House by 20 Republicans and seven Democrats, with an eighth Democrat seat vacant after the resignation of former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.
The Florida Legislature, which holds a Republican majority in both chambers, is scheduled to return for a special session Tuesday, when it will decide whether to approve the proposal.
If approved, the new map would go to DeSantis' desk to be signed into law in time for the November midterm elections.
But the Miami Herald reported that remaking Florida's congressional map is a risky move for state Republicans, who face stringent redistricting rules and the risk of turning safe GOP seats into competitive ones.
Several Florida Republican members of Congress have cautioned that redistricting could leave them more vulnerable after Democrats flipped two Republican seats in recent special elections.
When the state Senate and House start their four-day special session on Tuesday, they will look only at DeSantis' proposal, as neither chamber created its own plan, the Miami Herald reported.
In recent months, several states — Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio — have redrawn their maps, likely giving Republicans more seats. California, Utah and Virginia have also changed their maps to favor Democrats.
After those moves, the parties are essentially at a draw, with a slight Democrat advantage, but Florida could change that.
Most Florida Republican state lawmakers have not publicly said whether they support redistricting, in part because they have been warned that their public comments and private conversations could become part of litigation, according to the Miami Herald.
However, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez said he is "ready to go. I think it's something we should absolutely take the conversation on. [We're] seeing it in left-leaning states, seeing it in right-leaning states. This is a conversation that everyone is having across the country."
Florida Senate President Ben Albritton also said the Senate will take up the governor's proposal.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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