Jacksonville, Fl — U.S. Representative Al Lawson (FL-05) could see his district dismantled under a map the Republican Governor just submitted to the Legislature. Ron DeSantis submitted the map ahead of next week’s special session.
Lawmakers have conceded control of the process to DeSantis, whose proposals would likely increase Republican seats in Florida while making it more difficult for Lawson (D) to maintain his north Florida seat, which stretches from Jacksonville to west of Tallahassee.
Before the map was submitted, DeSantis said he wasn’t going to allow a 200-mile-long district that would assure Black voters could choose a Black candidate.
“It will, though, have north Florida drawn in a race-neutral manner”, DeSantis said on Tuesday in Miami.
Rep. Al Lawson blasted Governor DeSantis and Republican legislative leaders in a statement.
“The Florida Legislature is caving to the intimidation of DeSantis and his desire to create additional Republican seats in Congress by eliminating minority-access districts. Previously, the Florida Supreme Court scolded the Florida Legislature for injecting partisan politics into the reapportionment process. Florida voters were hopeful that legislators would have learned their lesson. They did not. Again, I am not surprised, but disappointed with the Legislature’s inability to fulfill their constitutional duties as elected officials without political interference from DeSantis.”