Florida approves US House map meant to boost Republicans in midterms

The Florida legislature approved a new congressional map intended to maximize Republicans’ advantage in the state as part of the national redistricting battle that Donald Trump launched before this year’s midterms. The vote came just two days after the governor, Ron DeSantis , unveiled his proposal and the same day the US supreme court rolled back a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. The decision could make it harder for Democrats to challenge Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts in ways that limit the influence of voters of color. DeSantis’s map could increase Republicans’ advantage in Florida’s House delegation to 24 to four, up from the current split of 20 to eight. The potential four-seat gain is the same as what Virginia Democrats expect from a recent redistricting referendum, which is being challenged in state court there. Florida’s new districts are certain to face lawsuits as well, especially because the state constitution prohibits redistricting for explicitly partisan purposes. DeSantis and his aides believe those provisions will not be a legal barrier because they have been weakened previously by the Florida supreme court and again by Wednesday’s US supreme court ruling. The new map reshapes districts in Democratic areas around Orlando, the Tampa-St Petersburg area and in south Florida around Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. …