The Florida House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting voted on Tuesday to advance Governor Ron DeSantis’s proposed congressional map with a party-line tally of 7-3. This decision paves the way for a complete floor vote that may alter the Republican advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The committee convened for the first time during a special legislative session called by the governor to discuss mid-decade redistricting. Jason Poreda, a senior analyst from the governor’s office, presented the new map and conducted a thorough review of its districts.
Poreda asserted that the map was created without reference to racial data and emphasized its compactness compared to the current layout. An attorney for the governor also reviewed legal implications tied to previous court rulings relevant to the redesign.
Democrats raised concerns regarding changes in specific districts, particularly the restructuring of the 16th Congressional District and the division of a majority-Hispanic district held by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto. Public hearings were held, allowing minimal feedback from residents and advocacy groups, but any amendments to the map were ultimately modified within the committee.
The proposal is now set for votes in both the House and Senate. Legislative leaders have signaled that final approval could happen as early as Wednesday, with the special session expected to conclude by the week’s end. Senate rules dictate that any amendments would require a completely new map, with drafting support provided to committee members.
The existing congressional map, established during the 2022 redistricting, had resulted in a significant 20-8 Republican advantage among Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats. The new proposal, which utilizes 2020 census data, focuses on adjustments in Central and South Florida.
This new configuration has the potential to create four more Republican-leaning districts by reshaping current Democrat-held seats. Should this map be adopted, the state’s delegation could shift to around 24 Republican-leaning and four Democratic-leaning seats.
Florida holds 28 of the 435 seats in the U.S. House, and a net change of four seats could greatly influence the tight margins that have defined recent House control.
As the 2026 elections loom, the implications of Florida’s redistricted districts might play a critical role in determining which party secures the majority in the House next January.
