JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville’s Democratic State Representatives are speaking out after participating in Thursday’s protest against the state’s new congressional map on the House floor.
The lawmakers say the maps erase Duval’s Black voting power by dismantling Congressional District 5 which links Black populations in Leon, Gadsden, and Duval Counties.
While the Democratic lawmakers that participated in the protest called their demonstration ‘good necessary’ trouble, Florida’s House Speaker saw the incident very differently.
Republicans plowed ahead with a final vote on the new congressional maps over Democrats chanting and demonstrating on the House Floor.
It passed down party lines.
“We could not any longer be afraid to make some noise,” said State Representative Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville) at a press conference outside city hall Friday.
Nixon was one of the main participants in the demonstration.
She told us she stands by her actions.
“We demanded that we were heard. We wanted to cut through all the noise and all the distractions that Governor DeSantis is pushing forth and to let folks know that he really wanted to eliminate Black representation in the State of Florida,” said Nixon.
House Speaker Chris Sprowls released a statement on the incident characterizing it as an attempt to hijack the legislative process, “Violating House Rules and interfering with the rights of their fellow elected colleagues to debate important legislation before the body”.
Some Republican lawmakers have gone as far as calling it an insurrection.
“It’s just interesting that the tables have turned,” said State Representative Cord Byrd (R-Jacksonville Beach).
Byrd said the insurrection language is a little ‘tongue-in-cheek’, but he argues members did break the rules and should face consequences.
“The Democrats got their full time in debate and Republicans, including myself, were not allowed to debate because they shouted us down. They stopped a government proceeding,” said Byrd.
Lawmakers can be fined, censured, put on probation, or even expelled for violating member conduct rules.
Nixon told us she is prepared to face whatever form of punishment that may come her way.
“I’m not about whatever happens to me. I had to stand for the people because the people’s voices weren’t being heard,” said Nixon.
We did reach out to the Speaker’s Office and asked whether he was considering punishing the members that participated in the protest, but we did not receive a response.
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