Florida judge slams DeSantis’ redistricting map as ‘unconstitutional’ over its impact on black voters after Democrat congressman Al Lawson lost his seat by just 20 votes

A Florida redistribution plan under pressure from Ron DeSantis is a direct violation of the state’s constitution, a judge has ruled — based on the belief that it diminishes the power of black voters.

Citing proposed divisions in the northern region of the state, Judge J. Lee Marsh announced the decision Saturday, along with instructions for lawmakers to follow so that a new map can be created that is more consistent with local laws.

The changes proposed in DeSantis’s draft — part of a 10-year census that sees legislators push the boundaries — include a problem area in the northern part of the state, stretching about 350 miles from the border with Alabama to the Atlantic Ocean, and south of Georgia to the Atlantic Ocean. Orlando.

Previously, the district was chaired by U.S. Representative Al Lawson, a Democrat who enjoyed support from a broad base of black voters. In November, however, he lost his reelection bid under DeSantis’s redesign after much of his district remained splintered.

Republicans defending the district lines had previously argued that the state’s provisions against weakening or eliminating minority-dominated districts violated the US Constitution — an argument Marsh rejected on Sunday.

Citing proposed divisions in the northern region of the state, Judge J. Lee Marsh announced the decision Saturday, along with instructions for lawmakers to follow so that a new map can be created that is more consistent with local laws.

In explaining his ruling, the lawyer said he was influenced by voting rights groups who had challenged the plan in court. Constitution of Florida.”

Marsh—once Chief of Corrections Litigation for the Attorney General and an experienced naval officer—wrote, “The court finds that the defendants in this case have failed to meet their charges.”

The decision is just the latest to scrap new congressional cards over concerns about black voting power, and comes after local Republicans introduced a card that would have likely won Lawson re-election but had its draft pushed aside.

The DeSantis administration then came up with its own version, promising to veto any other version. His office is now expected to appeal the case all the way to the Florida Supreme Court before the week is out.

As mentioned, DeSantis’ congressional map — which currently trails Donald Trump in most polls — has broken up Lawson’s district, which had connected several black neighborhoods stretching west of Tallahassee to Jacksonville.

He then lost his race by 20 points to Republican congressman Neal Dunn, telling voters he would consider running for his district again if lawmakers restored it to a similar configuration as before.

Currently, four of Florida’s 28 representatives are black — a percentage marginally lower than the 17 percent that represents the proportion of black residents living in the state overall.

The changes proposed in DeSantis’s draft — part of a 10-year census that sees legislators push the boundaries — include a problem area in the northern part of the state, stretching about 350 miles from the border with Alabama to the Atlantic Ocean, and south of Georgia to the Atlantic Ocean. Orlando

Previously, the district was chaired by U.S. Representative Al Lawson, a Democrat who enjoyed support from a broad base of black voters. In November, however, he lost his re-election bid under DeSantis’ redesign after much of his district was left splintered.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a map drafted by the Republicans in Alabama, with two conservative justices joining the liberals in rejecting the attempt to weaken a balance of power. groundbreaking law on voting rights.

Not long after that, the Supreme Court has lifted its hold on a political remap case in Louisiana, raising the likelihood that the Republican-dominated state will have to shift borderlines to create a second predominantly black congressional district.

In each case, Republicans have appealed or promised to appeal the decisions, as they could benefit Democratic congressional candidates facing the races in 2024 under redrawn maps. The Florida case is likely to end up in the Florida Supreme Court.

Every 10 years — following a 10-year census — legislators in all 50 states, including Florida, shift political boundaries.

DeSantis, a candidate for the 2024 Republican Party nomination, was criticized for essentially removing Democratic U.S. Representative Al Lawson, who is black, from office by dividing up his district and stripping out a large number of black voters. divide into conservative districts, represented by white Republicans. .

State Senator Kelli Stargel reviews redistribution maps during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on January 13, 2022 in Tallahassee. On Saturday, a state judge ruled that Florida’s redistricting plan, under pressure from Governor DeSantis, violates the state constitution

In an unprecedented fashion, DeSantis interfered in the redistricting process last year by vetoing the Republican-dominated legislature that preserved Lawson’s district. He convened a special sessionsubmitted its own card and demanded that lawmakers accept it.

In their lawsuit, the voting rights groups alleged that the redrawn congressional map violated state and federal voting rights protections for black voters.

Florida’s 22.2 million residents are 17% black. On the new maps, an area stretching about 350 miles from the Alabama border to the Atlantic Ocean and south from the Georgia border to Orlando in central Florida is represented only by white congressmen.

The Florida judge rejected defense arguments from Republican lawmakers that the state’s provision against weakening or eliminating minority-dominated districts violated the U.S. Constitution.

Marsh wrote, “The court finds that defendants in this case have failed to meet their charges.”