Florida Governor DeSantis Signs New Congressional Map Expected to Favor Republicans

House seats during the 2026 midterm elections. The map, passed by the Republican-controlled Florida legislature last week, adjusts district boundaries in response to population shifts and a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting the use of race in redistricting.

Current representation stands at 20 Republicans and eight Democrats in Florida's delegation, though one source noted a vacancy reducing Democrats to seven. The Florida House approved the map with an 83-28 vote, while the Senate passed it 21-17. ' The governor cited the need to align districts with Florida's growth and comply with the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v.

Callais, issued last week.

The Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, ruled that states cannot prioritize race in creating majority-minority districts if it conflicts with constitutional principles. Alito's opinion stated that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act was meant to enforce the Constitution, not enable race-based discrimination.

DeSantis referenced this ruling in April, noting it invalidated a racially gerrymandered district in Florida, which the new map addresses by unwinding such boundaries. Additional impacts affect seats represented by Maxwell Frost, Lois Frankel, Frederica Wilson, and the vacant district formerly held by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who resigned amid an ethics inquiry.

Legal challenges are expected, with Democrats and voting rights groups preparing lawsuits. DeSantis defended the map as race-neutral and necessary to reflect population changes since the last redistricting four years ago.

Florida's changes contribute to a national trend, with redistricting in states like California, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, Ohio, and Utah potentially netting Republicans seven additional seats overall. Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee are considering similar adjustments following the Callais decision.

In Virginia, a voter-approved amendment could shift its map to favor Democrats, pending a state Supreme Court review. The U.S. House currently has 217 Republicans, 212 Democrats, one independent, and five vacancies after the 2024 elections. Florida's primaries are set for August 18, 2026, with candidate qualifying from June 8-12.

“DeSantis declared war against Florida’s 1.3M Puerto Ricans. We are American citizens, our people served and died for this country, and we vote.”