Substitute while the actions of the article are loading
The House of Florida has for the last time given a new congressional map, blessed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), which gives Republicans a chance to take up four new seats and erases a seat held by the Black Democrat after a dramatic Democratic meeting. which black.
The map, which passed the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, was drawn by DeSantis aides after the governor refused to accept any version that did not eliminate the 5th District, which stretches across the northern border and was configured years ago to give a chance to black voters to choose a candidate of their choice. The area is represented by Democrat Al Lawson, who is black.
The protest in Florida began when a black MP continued to speak after she was told her time was up. U.S. Representative Yvonne Hayes Hinson (D) was discussing the history of voting rights when her microphone was cut off, prompting other members to shout in anger that she had been silenced. The session took a break. They chanted “We will not be denied,” sang “We Will Win,” and bowed their heads in prayer.
“This is what democracy looks like,” Hinson told reporters after the vote. “This is how we fought for civil rights. This is the same way that John Lewis fought for the Voting Rights Act. We do this when we have nothing else we know how to do. This is the end of our disappointment. “She added:” If we do not have the right to vote, we feel as if we are in slavery again. “
Florida President Chris Sprolls (right) criticized the protesters after the vote, describing their sit-in campaign as “kidnapping” and accusing them of pretending “they need to protest in order to be heard.”
The final map of Congress also changed the configuration of another area near Orlando, held by the black Democrat, Val Demings, who is running for the Senate. The new lines will keep the seat democratic, but have been changed to minimize the chances of the black candidate winning.
The new ranks give Republicans a chance to win up to 20 of the 28 seats in Florida. The current delegation is from 16 Republicans to 11 Democrats. The country added a new place after the 2020 census.
Florida is one of the last states to complete the relocation of the area, as the midterm season begins in May. Minimizing the electoral opportunities for black politicians follows a reorientation that has not increased minority seats, despite the increase in population that Latin American and black voters have done over the past decade compared to white voters.
The new card, expected to be signed by DeSantis, is the result of confrontation between the governor and members of his own party, who worked on a two-party card that would not drastically change the composition of the congressional delegation.
Florida lawmakers give DeSantis the power to draw a map of House
But as the process progresses, DeSantis, under pressure from far-right conservatives, including Stephen K. Bannon, an adviser to former President Donald Trump, has said he wants a more Republican-friendly map, including deleting the area. Lawson. DeSantis claims that the Lawson area is an illegitimate racial herrimander, drawn to look at race above all other factors. Democrats say removing the site would violate a law against reducing black voting power.
In early March, the state legislature passed two cards, a bipartisan one previously proposed by the Senate and another hoping to reassure DeSantis by shrinking the Lawson area but not deleting it completely. DeSantis vetoed them and instructed the legislature to return this week for a special session to try again. Before returning, the Republican leadership announced that they would not draw new lines and would wait for guidance from the governor.
On April 21, the Florida House of Representatives announced a surprise break after several black representatives protested against the relocation of the area. (Video: The Florida Channel)
The surrender marked a significant show of Republican respect for DeSantis. His victory will also win him favor among national Republicans and the Make America Great Again base, prompting him to take a strong stand on redistribution. If Republicans win the U.S. House of Representatives in the fall by just a few seats, DeSantis, who has an eye on the White House’s 2024 candidacy, could take credit.
“Once again, DeSantis is showing Florida voters that he is running the state like a dictator,” Lawson said in a statement. “DeSantis is harassing the Florida legislature to approve his Republican map of Congress during a special session. It is worrying that state legislators cannot fulfill their constitutional obligations without political interference.
Other black Democrats resented DeSantis. “The governor intervened in this process and it is wrong, we have divisions of power in this country for a reason,” US spokesman Fentris Driskel told reporters. “You are only here because of a politically ambitious governor who wants to run for president of the United States.”
Democrats plan to sue the state over the map, likely to file multiple lawsuits in state and federal courts.
Adrian Blanco and Lori Rosa contributed to this report.
Add Comment