TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Black congressman’s district would be dismantled under a map Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis submitted to the Legislature.
DeSantis submitted the map Wednesday ahead of a special session next week.
Executive Office of the Governor Congressional District Map by WTXL ABC27 on Scribd
The session was called after the governor vetoed maps sent to him by the Republican-dominated Legislature.
Lawmakers have conceded control of the process to DeSantis, whose proposals would likely increase Republican seats in Florida while making it more difficult for Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Lawson 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.
Lawson released a statement Wednesday saying, "Today’s revelation is a continued scheme by DeSantis to erase minority access districts in Congress in order to create more seats for the Republican party.
“DeSantis is doing a disservice to Florida voters by playing partisan politics. This latest map clearly violates the Voting Rights Act as well as the U.S. and Florida Constitutions.”
