Florida House, Senate approve DeSantis-backed redistricting map
By Malcolm Shields
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TALLAHASSEE, Florida (WPBF) — A congressional district map proposed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has moved forward in the Florida legislature.
On Wednesday morning, SB 8-D passed the Florida House of Representatives.
The House passed the bill mostly on political party lines with 83 votes in favor and 28 against.
Democratic Reps. Jervonte Edmonds (Palm Beach County), Emily Gregory (Palm Beach County), Rob Long (Palm Beach County), Kelly Skidmore (Palm Beach County) and Debra Tendrich (Palm Beach County) cast no votes on the bill.
Republican Reps. Anne Gerwig (Palm Beach County), Peggy Gossett-Seidman (Palm Beach County), John Snyder (Martin and Palm Beach counties), Meg Weinberger (Palm Beach County), Tobin “Toby” Overdorf (Martin and St. Lucie counties), Dana Trabulsy (St. Lucie County), Robert “Robbie” Brackett (Indian River and Brevard counties) and Kaylee Tuck (Okeechobee, Glades, Hardee and Highlands counties) voted in favor of the bill.
Just after 3 p.m., the Florida Senate voted in favor of the proposed congressional district map by a 21 to 17 margin.
Democratic Sens. Lori Berman (Palm Beach County), Mack Bernard (Palm Beach County), and Tina Scott Polsky (Broward and Palm Beach counties) voted no on the bill.
Republican Erin Grall who represents Okeechobee, Indian River, Glades, Highlands counties and part of St. Lucie County voted no.
Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell (Martin County, parts of Palm Beach, St. Lucie counties), voted yes on the bill.
Gov. DeSantis will likely sign it into law.
Republicans hold supermajorities in the Florida House and Senate, and DeSantis is a Republican.
The bill was filed during a special session to address redistricting. Republicans say that redistricting was needed to account for the population increase the state had after the 2020 U.S. Census was released.
Normally, redistricting occurs every 10 years after the U.S. Census releases data on each state’s population.
Democrats say redistricting efforts are politically motivated. If the bill becomes law, Republicans will have the advantage in 24 of the state’s 28 congressional districts, as Democrats would lose advantage in four congressional districts that currently favor them.
Currently, Florida Democrats have eight U.S. House of Representatives members to the GOP’s 20.
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