Florida to take up congressional redistricting in April, DeSantis says

By Nolan D. McCaskill

WASHINGTON, Jan 7 (Reuters) – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Wednesday the Republican-led state will take up a redistricting effort in April in a move that could give President Donald Trump’s party up to five more seats in Congress.

Trump has encouraged Republican-led states to redraw their congressional maps to give them an advantage in the November elections that will determine control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The party in power typically loses seats in midterm elections, and Trump has warned that Democrats will impeach him again if they win the House.

Trump’s Republicans have so far drawn new maps in their favor in Texas, North Carolina and Ohio, but they fell short in Indiana and Kansas. Democrats have benefited from redistricting efforts in Utah and California and plan to draw new lines in Virginia as well.

DeSantis’ April timeline means the state legislature will have to act quickly. The state’s filing deadline for congressional candidates is April 24, and its primary is set for August 18. It’s unclear whether a new map would be effective for this year’s elections if challenged in court. 

There are also legal obstacles: Any new map would have to overcome a constitutional amendment that bars the legislature from drawing districts purely for partisan gain.

A looming Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act could further upend the political playing field in future elections.

(Reporting by Nolan D. McCaskill; editing by Andy Sullivan and Cynthia Osterman)