TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida could soon follow Texas in trying to redraw its congressional maps before the next census, a move Democrats call corrupt and an attempt to rig the 2026 midterms.
“We're in a situation where, you know, we believe there's defects in the current map. We also believe that the districts are malapportioned because of the explosive growth that we've seen in the state of Florida,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said this week in Melbourne.
Watch the battle over redistricting:
The governor also argued, “Definitely, we'd gain at least three” seats if a full recount were conducted.
Florida’s attorney general has suggested using a post-2020 census review to recalculate population without a full nationwide tally — a move that could potentially give the state more representation in Congress.
Democrats see it differently.
“This is all corruption," said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried. "The pendulum is starting to swing back, and they know that, which is why they're trying to steal the 2026 elections.”
She added the effort wasn’t about population shifts but “controlling the midterms” and undoing voter-approved “Fair Districts” rules.
State Rep. Angie Nixon — who protested on the House floor after the state erased a Black-performing district from Jacksonville to Tallahassee in 2022 — called the effort part of a larger pattern.
“Donald Trump is simply trying to rig the next election to ensure that Republicans continue to lead our country,” she said. “And I’ll ask you, I'm still trying to figure out when the cost of groceries is going to go down.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has defended similar Democratic-led efforts in his state, saying, “We're putting the maps on the ballot, and we're giving the power to the people.”
But Republican strategist Scott Jennings countered on CNN, Thursday night, “Let me summarize Gavin Newsom’s speech today. ‘Gerrymandering is evil. Please vote for my gerrymandering.’”
For now, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has created a special redistricting committee, potentially setting the stage for a special session or a redraw during the regular session beginning in January. If the state moves forward, it would be the first time Florida has redrawn districts without a new census.
