Coming after hours of deliberation in the 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida conducting an initial review of the new Congressional map drafted by the Florida Legislature, the 2nd Judicial Circuit concluded the new map is likely unconstitutional and cannot be used in the upcoming election cycle. Judge Layne Smith is proposing to use plaintiff’s Proposed Map A in place of the current proposed Congressional map.
House Democratic Caucus members assigned as Democratic Ranking Members in their respective redistricting committees issued the following statements.
“I’m pleased the Court recognized the constitutional right to fair districts and fair representation. We know the new Congressional map proposed by the Governor diminishes the voting rights of Black voters, yet the Governor chose to waste taxpayer dollars convening a special session to double-down on diminishing minority voting rights. While this isn’t the final opinion, we have to continue advocating for a constitutionally compliant Congressional map that does not infringe on Floridians’ rights,” said Representative Joseph Geller (D-Aventura), House Redistricting Committee Ranking Member.
While enduring the Special Session on redistricting and the despicable process of eliminating Black voters’ representation in Congress, I held out hope and faith that the court would do its job, and today it did,” said Representative Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton), House Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee Ranking Member. “No matter how they repeatedly tried to justify themselves, it should come as no surprise to the Governor and this Republican-led legislature that the map is a violation of Florida’s Fair Districts amendments and the U.S. constitution.”
