Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Politics

DeSantis-Approved Congressional Map Struck Down by Judge

ⓒ Ekaterina Bolovtsova | Pexels

TALLAHASSEE – A congressional district map advocated for by Governor Ron DeSantis has been struck down in court, with a judge ruling that it unconstitutionally and disproportionately dilutes the influence of Black voters in the area. State legislators will have to draw a new map to address the grievances perceived by Judge J. Lee Marsh.

Changing Boundaries

DeSantis’ map, passed last year after the governor rejected a prior map approved by Republican leadership, was criticized for breaking up a Black voter block which was represented in the U.S. Congress by then-representative Al Lawson.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lawson lost his seat following an influx of Republican voters with the newly-drawn district boundaries, giving Republicans a larger portion of the overall House of Representatives. They hold a slim majority in the House as of now, with the 2024 election cycle set to shake up the balance of power in the federal government.

Legal Turmoil

The lawsuit was brought against the state by a coalition of voting rights groups, such as Black Voters Matter, Equal Ground Education Fund, and the League of Women Voters. Defendants in the case included both chambers of the Florida state legislature and Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd.

The first attempt at redrawing district boundaries was completed by the legislature, all of which is under a Republican majority. DeSantis vetoed the map the legislature passed, accusing it of racial gerrymandering. That categorization is precisely the basis with which Judge Marsh has now struck down DeSantis’ own map. Specifically, Marsh ruled the state violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a groundbreaking law which banned discriminating election laws.

The matter is not necessarily finalized, as the state will have the option of appealing to the Florida Supreme Court, a body which is made up mostly of DeSantis-appointed justices. The outcome of the matter may also impact DeSantis’ ongoing presidential campaign.

Written By

Chris Gollon is a Flagler County resident since 2004, as well as a staple of the local independent music scene and avid observer of Central Florida politics, arts, and recreation.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

You May Also Like

Weather

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced ‘Operation Blue Ridge’ this week, sending a team of emergency responders to assist with disaster recovery from Hurricane Helene in...

State Politics

Gov. Ron DeSantis has distanced himself – and the state government – from controversial plans to initiate large developments in several Florida state parks....

2024 Election

Gov. Ron DeSantis has cast his endorsement in the Florida House of Representatives District 19 election, opting for Sam Greco over his GOP primary...

2024 Election

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis endorsed a slate of candidates in county school board races across the state last week, casting his stamp of approval...

2024 Election

The landscape of the 2024 presidential election was drastically changed on Sunday when President Joe Biden announced he’d be dropping his bid for a...