Ron DeSantis' Redrawn Congressional Map of Florida Is Unconstitutional, Rules Judge

A judge ruled that Ron DeSantis' effort to restrict black voters in North Florida by redrawing the Congressional Map is unconstitutional and ordered that map to be redrawn. The Florida legislature must now redraw that map to be fairer to other communities.

Florida Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh of Tallahassee ruled that "By dismantling a congressional district that enabled Black voters to elect their candidates of choice under the previous plan, the enacted plan violates ... the Florida Constitution."

It was an effort by Florida Republicans and championed by Ron DeSantis to restrict Black voting power in the Sunshine State, which Judge Lee Marsh pointed out, has "been a state home to discrimination in voting."

The judge weighed a lawsuit brought in by groups such as Black Voters Matter and the League of Women Voters of Florida in his decision, according to USA Today, This led him to order a "remedial map" that would comply with the state's constitution to be drawn.

DeSantis and his allies reportedly redrew the Congressional Map of Florida to replace the former Congressional District 5, whose seat was held by former US Rep. Al Lawson. This effort weakened black voting power in the state as the district was divided up and absorbed by bigger white-dominated districts. This meant that the African-American community in the area, which tends to vote Democratic, had no representation and thus had their voice subverted by DeSantis with the redistricting.

The decision was largely lauded by voting rights advocates, including Olivia Mendoza, the director of litigation and policy for the National Redistricting Foundation.

"It should not be lost on the public that Governor DeSantis pushed for the discriminatory map that targeted Black voters with precision," she said, blasting the Florida governor.

DeSantis previously vetoed a version of the Congressional Map that still allowed the mostly-Black District 5 to exist.

Republicans Have a History of Using Redistricting To Suppress African-American Voters

This case of unconstitutional gerrymandering on the part of Ron DeSantis against black voters is nothing new, with the governor's allies vowing to appeal the decision. It was DeSantis who even interjected himself in the redistricting fight where the state was required to redraw political boundaries.

Republicans also tried pulling this sort of race-based gerrymandering in other states as well, including the heavily-red state of Alabama. The US Supreme Court ruled that a Republican-drawn map in the state was unconstitutional as well, as it also tried to suppress black votes by redrawing boundary lines, according to NPR.

Ron DeSantis Super PAC Official Caught Admitting He Is Spreading Dirt Against Vivek Ramaswamy

Meanwhile, a top strategist for Ron DeSantis' super PAC, Never Back Down, has been caught up in a scandal where he was recorded bragging about the super PAC being behind an avalanche of opposition research targeting Vivek Ramaswamy, who had steadily been gaining up against DeSantis in the polls.

"Everything you read about him is from us," said Never Back Down leader Jeff Roe to donors. "Every misstatement, every 360 he's conducting or 180 that he is going through in life, is from our scrutiny and pressure. And so, he's not going to go through that very well, and that will get worse for him."

According to Politico, Roe said this just a few hours before the first Republican debate. where Ramaswamy became its focal point as he traded barbs with the other candidates.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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