Florida defends new congressional map, says it lacks ‘signs’ of partisan gerrymandering
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida disputes the following claims: State’s new congressional map drawn to help Republicansother states, such as Virginia and Illinois, engage in much more blatant partisan gerrymandering, he argues in a new legal filing.
Voting rights and civil rights groups have filed multiple lawsuits challenging the new map signed into law by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis. They argued that the map, which could result in Republicans picking up four seats, was a clear violation of voter-approved anti-gerrymandering standards and “one of the most extreme congressional maps” enacted in the past 50 years.
A district court judge will hold a hearing Friday on whether to temporarily block the new map and release the state’s old congressional map instead. Also proposed by the DeSantis administration in 2022 – will be used in midterm exams. The 2022 map gave Republicans a 20-8 lead.
Lawyers representing the state They submitted their response on Wednesdayand put forward a variety of arguments, some procedural, for why the new map should be allowed to remain in place. For example, they argue it’s too close to the August primary to undo the map approved just two weeks ago.
But the 29-page dossier also insists those challenging the map have produced “insufficient evidence” to support their claims.
“The allegation of partisan favoritism hinges solely on maps showing district boundaries embedded in the results of several elections, hearsay from so-called experts, opinions on tweets, perspectives on Fox News coverage, and a single factual representation from the governor’s map drawer,” attorneys for the governor and the state wrote.
They also claimed that “finally, Florida’s map lacks the hallmarks of a partisan gerrymander” and compared it to maps implemented in Democratic states that feature “blue spaghetti” and “partisan blitzkriegs.”
Florida’s “Fair Districts” standards prohibit redrawing congressional districts for partisan gain or to help or harm an incumbent. Democrats and other critics insisted the new map was “illegal” because it violated those standards. For example, the map reconstructed areas in the Tampa Bay and Orlando area; this includes the departure of Hispanic voters in the district currently controlled by Democratic Representatives. Darren Soto.
Florida Legislature new map approved in late April It comes just days after the DeSantis administration first pitched it to lawmakers after giving it to Fox News. During the legislative hearing, a top aide to the governor acknowledged his reliance on partisan data.
But in a legal memo, the governor’s chief counsel argued that the state no longer needed to pursue “Fair Zones” because of a state Supreme Court ruling on another part of the amendment. This argument is also included in the state’s filing calling “Fair Zones” unconstitutional.
“The danger is clear: Allowing a law to stumble after a court removes some of its components undermines the entire legislative plan,” the filing says. “The danger becomes even more serious when we are faced with language adopted by citizen initiative, as here.”
The state’s legal filing also argues that a hearing is first needed to determine where there is evidence that the map was drawn for partisan interests. The state’s attorneys argue that deputy chief Jason Poreda was never asked what type of partisan data he used or how it was used. They also dispute experts’ findings about the potential consequences of the new map.
President Donald Trump and the White House first began encouraging GOP-led states to redistrict in the middle of the decade last year. After a short while, DeSantis calls for change Also on the map of Florida. He said a district in South Florida was based on racial considerations that would likely be ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, and that the state’s population has increased in the past few years. But the new map is still based on Census data used in 2022.
