DeSantis signs new congressional map into law

By Alan Wooten
The Center Square

Second-term Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed his redrawn congressional map into law.

The Legislature gave passage last week.

“Signed, sealed and delivered,” DeSantis wrote on social media, with his signature on the new map’s image.

Florida’s representation is 20 Republicans, seven Democrats and one vacancy from the resignation of former Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. The new map is forecast to bring an end for Democratic U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor in the Tampa area and Maxwell Frost in Central Florida.

Five districts represented by Democrats are expected to leave just three. They include areas represented by Reps. Jared Moskowitz, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Lois Frankel, Frederica Wilson and Cherfilus-McCormick.

Litigation is expected. The primaries in Florida are scheduled Aug. 18. The second qualifying period, inclusive of U.S. House of Representative candidates, is scheduled June 8-12, according to the Florida Department of State’s Division of Elections.

The plan was approved 21-17 by the Senate after an 83-28 breeze in the House of Representatives.

New maps have been redrawn and implemented for November’s midterms in six states, another has a change from litigation, and three more states remain tied up in courtrooms. A fourth state in litigation, Louisiana, learned its fate from the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Those seven changes have given a potential net gain of seven seats to Republicans, the last four coming from Florida.

The U.S. House was divided 220 Republicans, 215 Democrats following the 2024 election cycle. Today, it’s 217 Republicans, 212 Democrats, one independent formerly Republican, and five vacancies.

New maps are in play for the 2026 elections in California, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. Litigation has also led to changes in Utah.

Virginia, Georgia and New York remain in litigation. The Supreme Court’s ruling announced Wednesday is expected to lead Louisiana to a new map for November. Maryland’s bid for new congressional maps died in April without making it out of a Legislature with majority Democrats in each chamber.

For Republicans, in addition to Florida’s four, Texas could gain five seats (to 30-7), Ohio two (to 12-3), and Missouri (to 7-1) and North Carolina (to 11-3) one each.

For Democrats, California (to 48-4) could flip five seats and Utah (to 3-1) one.