U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is slamming Florida’s new congressional map as illegal and a political mistake.
In a war of words now entering its third week, Jeffries criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis, who proposed and signed the new cartography.
“The lame-duck Governor of Florida is auditioning for Donald Trump’s undying love after his presidential aspirations were crushed in 2024. Democrats have brutally thwarted the MAGA midterm power grab and we will continue to push back aggressively,” said Jeffries, a New York Democrat.
“Today, less than a week after corrupt Republican legislators approved an unconstitutional partisan map leaked to a right-wing news outlet, Ron DeSanctimonious signed it into law.”
Jeffries last month threatened that if Florida approved a new map, House Democrats could double the number of GOP targets in the Sunshine State from four to eight.
He jumped on testimony from DeSantis’ own staff that is already the subject of a legal challenge to the Florida map.
“By his own lawyer’s admission, these boundaries were drawn with partisan intent, a shameless disregard for Florida voters who overwhelmingly passed the Fair Districts Amendment to bar political favoritism and incumbent protection in 2010. Ron DeSantis knows this gerrymander is a direct violation of Florida law,” Jeffries said.
But Jeffries also said redrawing the lines could put Republican incumbents in Florida in jeopardy, and provide DeSantis politically clumsy as he openly considers a 2028 run for President.
“Even worse for DeSantis, Democrats are overperforming in special elections nationwide. In Florida alone, we reclaimed the Miami Mayor’s seat for the first time in 30 years, flipped a state House seat in Mar-a-Lago and decisively won a Republican-held state Senate seat in Tampa,” Jeffries said.
“Florida Republicans are blind to the wave headed for them in November and they will pay for aimlessly following their failed leader. While Democrats have given voters the chance to respond forcefully to this national power grab in California and Virginia, MAGA extremists, empowered by far-right Supreme Court Justices, are doing the opposite. See you in Court.”
The post ‘They will pay’: Hakeen Jeffries slams Ron DeSantis’ map as illegal, foolish in current environment appeared first on Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..