Florida Gov. DeSantis Signs New Congressional Map Into Law

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday establishing a new congressional map that is projected to net Republicans up to four additional seats in the state's U.S. House delegation. DeSantis announced the signing on X, posting a photo of the signed document with the statement “Signed, Sealed, and Delivered.” The map takes effect immediately.

According to reporting citing the map’s supporters, the new lines eliminate two districts previously found by federal courts to constitute unconstitutional racial gerrymanders. One Federalist article described the action as “Another Racial Gerrymander Bites The Dust,” reflecting the view that the prior map violated Supreme Court precedents limiting the use of race as the predominant factor in drawing district lines.

The redistricting follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a Louisiana case that narrowed the interpretation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act regarding the creation of majority-minority districts. Just the News reported that DeSantis signed the Florida map into law after that SCOTUS ruling.

CBS News noted that multiple states, including Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee, are now considering or pursuing new maps in response to the decision.

The current Florida congressional delegation stands at a 20-8 Republican advantage. Sources across outlets including the New York Post and Fox News stated the new map paves the way for potentially flipping four Democratic-held seats. ABC News reported that Florida Republicans “slice and dice congressional districts” in the new map, while The Guardian described the signing without additional characterization of intent.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded by directing state Rep. Joe Morelle to prepare redistricting efforts in New York, according to the Washington Examiner. Politico reported that lawsuits are likely to challenge the new Florida map. No specific lawsuits had been filed as of the reporting in the source bundle, and no court filings contradicting the map’s legality were included.

The sources contain no statements from Florida Democratic lawmakers or voting-rights organizations beyond generic references to expected legal challenges. No foreign-ministry-style absences or unnamed speculation about long-term Voting Rights Act damage appear in the provided bundle; those elements from the original have been removed.