DeSantis Suggests Redistricting Special Session May Be Delayed

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis insisted Tuesday that a special session on congressional redistricting will take place, although maybe not beginning Monday as originally scheduled.

The governor spoke during a press conference in Tallahassee shortly after Punchbowl News reported that DeSantis was considering delaying the session until after Virginia holds a referendum on a proposed congressional redistricting plan next Tuesday, April 21.

Reporter Ally Mutnick reported that, “If FL waits, they can make sure their map better offsets Dem gains.”

The idea that the Legislature might delay or possibly opt not go through with congressional redistricting has picked up steam over the past week.

DeSantis had said for months that the state would conduct a rare mid-decade redistricting because it would likely be “forced” to following an expected ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. However, the Court has yet to rule in that case — Louisiana v. Calais — and isn’t likely to do so before Monday.

And a number of Florida GOP congressional members have expressed unease about doing such a redistricting when new district lines could affect their chances for re-election in November.

During the news conference, DeSantis signed legislation designating Tallahassee’s airport as Bobby Bowden Tallahassee International Airport.

The governor said his plan was still to go for it. “They’re going to have to consider maps,” he said of the Legislature. “I can pass judgement on it. Obviously, we worked on that last time to do it again. That will be done one way or another.”

He dismissed the news report that the effort would be delayed because of what might happen in Virginia.

“I saw some reports that somehow Virginia’s doing something — I have no idea where that came from,” DeSantis said Tuesday.

The last time the state conducted the normal, decennial redistricting in 2022, DeSantis vetoed the congressional map approved by the GOP-controlled Legislature, which would have preserved a Black-opportunity district in North Florida.

His map reconfigured that district, erasing Black representation in that part of the state. Voting rights group sued, saying it was a violation of the Fair Districts Amendments passed in 2010, which says that districts can’t be drawn in a way that diminishes the ability of minorities to “elect representatives of their choice.”

Fair Districts also bans partisan gerrymandering, which is why the governor has been careful to avoid saying he hopes to create more leaning-Republican congressional districts in November.

But the cat was let out of the bag Monday by GOP gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, who said in Miami-Dade County that he wanted the Legislature to redraw its congressional map to help Republicans keep control of Congress.

Meanwhile, House and Senate leaders have been radio silent about the redistricting. House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton released statements last week confirming that the Legislature would not convene this week to work on the state budget. For the second consecutive year, lawmakers have finished their regular legislative session without passing a balanced budget, the only legislation they are mandated to produce by the Florida Constitution.

Katie Betta, a spokesperson for Albritton, told the Phoenix on Friday that the Senate has not worked on any proposed map for the coming session. Betta said on Tuesday that the Senate had heard DeSantis’ comments, “but at this time we have not received an official communication from the Governor’s Office changing the date.”

Speaker Perez’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

At present, 20 of Florida’s 28 congressional seats are held by Republicans. An Emerson College poll released earlier this month showed 56% of Florida voters opposing the plan, with 44% supporting it.

–Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix