Florida lawmakers suspended talks of Florida’s congressional districts until after the Florida Supreme Court issued an opinion on Congressional District Five. State Rep. Tyler Sirois (R-Rockledge), chair of the House panel leading the congressional redistricting, said the committee is not currently discussing the matter.
District Five connects “the minority population in Jacksonville with distant and distinct minority populations (either in Leon and Gadsden Counties or outside of Orlando) to ensure sufficient voting strength, even if not a majority, to elect a candidate of their choice.”
The seat is currently occupied by Congressman Al Lawson (D-FL-5), whose office did not respond to multiple requests from The Florida Capital Star for comment. However, Lawson did make a public statement criticizing DeSantis’ effort.
“While disappointing, Ron DeSantis’s continued assault on the rights of Black and minority voters is not a surprise,” Lawson said. “I hope that the Florida Supreme Court chooses to respect our separation of powers, rises above politics, and avoids wading into this partisan dispute. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 sought to protect the right to vote for minority communities. Ron DeSantis’s effort to disenfranchise every minority voter north of Orlando is an act that will not go without a fight.”
DeSantis’ communications director Taryn Fenske simply said that “Representative Al Lawson’s seat poses legal concerns.”
While the Florida House suspended talks regarding redistricting, the Florida Senate proceeded with its version of the maps that held intact much of District Five.
The Capital Star asked DeSantis’ spokeswoman Christina Pushaw how the governor felt about the Florida Senate moving forward with its plans just after the governor submitted his own maps, she said “This is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Also when asked if District Five is currently gerrymandered, Pushaw noted that DeSantis’ “letter to the Florida Supreme Court speaks for itself.”
At Tuesday’s press conference, DeSantis said he and the legislature would likely be able to reach an agreement.
“I think we are going to be able to get to a good spot and have a good product,” said DeSantis. “We’ve got to get a couple of legal issues squared away.”
Governor DeSantis announces funding for 113 projects across the state through the Resilient Florida Grant Program. https://t.co/sY2txmTgEt
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 1, 2022
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Grant Holcomb is a reporter at The Florida Capital Star and The Star News Network. Follow Grant on Twitter and direct message tips.
Background Photo “Florida Supreme Court” by Bruin79. CC BY-SA 3.0.
