After Democratic congressman Al Lawson lost his seat in Florida by a margin of just 20 votes, a judge ruled that DeSantis’ redistricting map was “unconstitutional” because of its effect on black voters.The ruling was announced by Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh on Saturday, along with guidelines for lawmakers to follow in order to draft a new map that abides by the law. Approximately 360 miles, from the border of Alabama to the Atlantic and south from Georgia to Orlando, are up for grabs in DeSantis’ proposed changes. Formerly, the district was under the leadership of Rep.
Democratic presidential candidate Al Lawson, who was popular among black voters. Under DeSantis’s revised plan, he was unable to win reelection.Written by Alex Hammer for the Daily Mail Last modified: September 3, 2023, 15:02 EDT
A judge in Florida has declared that a redistricting plan supported by Ron DeSantis is unconstitutional because it limits the voting power of black residents.
Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh announced his ruling on Saturday, citing potential divides in the state’s northern part and providing lawmakers with guidelines to follow in order to draft a new map that better complies with local laws.One trouble spot in the state’s north that connected multiple municipalities from Tallahassee to Jacksonville is planned to be changed as part of DeSantis’ draft, which is part of a once-every-decade census in which lawmakers redraw boundaries.
Former US Representative Al Lawson, a Democrat popular among black voters, presided over this district. However, much of his district was left fragmented after DeSantis’ reconfiguration, and he lost reelection in November.
Marsh on Sunday dismissed a claim made by Republicans in defense of the district lines that a state rule prohibiting the weakening or elimination of minority-dominant districts ran afoul of the U.S. Constitution. After explaining his decision, the judge stated he was motivated by voting rights groups that had challenged the plan in court because they ‘had established that the enacted plan resulted in the diminishment of clack voters’ ability to elect their candidate of choice in violation of the Florida Constitution.Former Chief of Corrections Litigation for the Attorney General and decorated Navy commander Marsh said, “The court finds that defendants have not satisfied their burden in this case.”
This ruling follows the override of a map proposed by local Republicans that would have ensured Lawson’s re-election but for concerns over the proportion of black voters in the district.
After that, the DeSantis administration proposed its own version and said it will veto any others. Before the end of the week, his office is likely to file an appeal with the Florida Supreme Court.Lawson’s district, which included various black areas from west of Tallahassee to Jacksonville, was split up as a result of the congressional plan advocated by DeSantis, who is presently lagging Donald Trump in most polls.
After losing the election by 20 points to Republican Congressman Neal Dunn, he told voters he may run again provided lawmakers restored the district’s previous boundaries.Currently, only 4% of Florida’s 28 members are black, a number that is only slightly lower than the 17% of black Floridians that make up the state’s total population.
A region of nearly 360 miles, from the border with Alabama to the Atlantic Ocean and south from the border with Georgia to Orlando in central Florida, will have solely white members of Congress under the new maps. An Alabama Republican-drawn map was struck down in June by the Supreme Court, with two conservative justices joining liberals in rejecting the move to water down a historic voting rights statute. Almost immediately afterward, the Supreme Court released its stay in a Louisiana political remap case, making it more likely that the Republican-controlled state would have to redraw boundary lines in order to create a second predominantly Black congressional district.
All three judgments could help Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives in 2024, therefore Republicans have either appealed them or promised to do so. It’s likely that the Florida Supreme Court will hear the case.Political boundaries in Florida and the other 49 states are redrew every decade after the census.
Critics of DeSantis, a potential 2024 Republican presidential nominee, say he forced Lawson out of office by dividing his district and sending many of the district’s Black voters to districts represented by Republicans. When the Republican-controlled legislature last year drew a design that would have kept Lawson’s district, DeSantis did the unthinkable and vetoed it. He convened an emergency meeting and presented parliamentarians with his own map, demanding their approval.
The voting rights organizations sued, claiming the new congressional map disregarded state and federal laws meant to protect the voting rights of Black citizens.Black people make up 17% of Florida’s total population. The new maps ensure that white members of Congress will represent a region that spans about 360 miles (579 kilometers) from the border of Alabama to the Atlantic Ocean and south from the border of Georgia to Orlando in central Florida.
The judge in Florida dismissed the Republican lawmakers’ claims that a state statute prohibiting the reduction or elimination of minority-dominated districts ran afoul of the Constitution.To paraphrase what Marsh said, “the court finds that defendants have not satisfied their burden in this case.”
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