Florida Senate passes DeSantis congressional map wiping out Dem gains from redistricting

The Florida Senate approved a congressional map proposal put forward by Gov. Ron DeSantis, helping pave the way for what would be large GOP gains in the state.

The map, which would see Republicans pick up four congressional districts and eliminate three districts currently held by Democrats, was approved on a party-line 24 to 15 vote, according to the New York Times.

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The DeSantis proposal creates a total of 20 seats that favor Republican candidates, while eight districts would lean towards Democrats. It will now go to the Florida House for final approval, with the GOP dominated chamber expected to pass the map and send it to DeSantis for signature.

The Florida map will counter gains Democrats have made in the redistricting process, which appeared to be heading towards an evenly split national map until the Florida process reached an impasse.

But the map is also all but certain to face legal challenges, with Democrats claiming that it violates the Florida Constitution's provisions on racial gerrymandering. The potential legal challenges are unlikely to be settled before November's election, meaning the GOP will hold a large advantage in the state at least for 2022.

The DeSantis map comes after the governor inserted himself into the process, promising to veto proposals that were working their way through the legislature. DeSantis followed through on that promise last week, vetoing a House-drawn map shortly after it was approved by the Senate.

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The legislature responded by handing over the keys to the process to DeSantis, saying it would no longer draw new maps and instead wait for a proposal from the governor.

"We are awaiting a communication from the Governor’s Office with a map that he will support," Republican leaders said in a memo last week.