'Certifiably insane': Florida political expert warns Republicans their map will backfire

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) submitted his new map to redraw the state's congressional districts, which he believes will give Republicans an advantage in winning four seats. But one political expert is saying this map will "backfire."

DeSantis shared the map with Fox News, showing that he targeted Democratic seats in the southeast corner of the state and the Tampa Bay area, CNN reported. It's the latter that one the politico took issue with.

"Certifiably insane to eliminate Democrat representation out of purple-as-a-plum Tampa Bay. This will backfire," said Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch.

"Another fascinating dynamic," he continued, "Both Greg Steube and Sydney Gruters live in the new CD 16. Steube’s father represented Manatee County as Sheriff. Could see Gruters moving south to the new CD 17."

Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL), whose district is carved out, commented on X, "Gerrymander or Dummymander? This map is an absolutely unlawful violation of the Florida Constitution. The Legislature should reject it. The courts should strike it down. That being said, there are 12+ seats that Democrats could still win under this map in this cycle."

Not all Republicans are behind the map proposal.

“You’re going to be diluting strong Republican districts to try and create other potential Republican districts,” a Florida-based Republican consultant told The Hill last week before the final maps came out.

Speaking to long-time Republican strategist Karl Rove told "Fox & Friends" on Friday that the new maps would not be without risk.

“Right now, the Democrats are ahead. If Florida moves like it can, the Republicans will at least be even. But there’s a risk there, because what they’re going to do is they’re going to have to take Republican votes out of Republican districts and put them into Democrat districts, and that’s going to lower the numbers for some incumbent Republicans, and they may lose a seat or two,” Rove said, according to Florida Politics.

Schorsch also needled Senate President Ben Albritton for being completely unaware of the new DeSantis map.

"[Florida Senate] President Sen. Albritton has allowed the Florida Senate to become a subsidiary of the Governor’s Office, but even with that, Gov. DeSantis shared his map first with Fox News before the Senators he expects to rubber stamp it," he said.

He also shared a similar comment from a Florida Democrat.

"The fact that the Governor shared his illegally-rigged Congressional map with Fox News before sharing it with state senators voting on them tomorrow shows how partisan and illegitimate this process is," commented Florida state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith on X.

In a discussion with CNN's "Inside Politics" on Monday, Politico's White House and foreign affairs correspondent Eli Stokols said that the map likely comes from "desperation that is being felt at the RNC. And I know it is being felt inside the White House after losing the redistricting fights in California and Virginia, not being able to get a Republican change in Indiana that they wanted."

He added that Republicans are "staring into some pretty heavy headwinds, you know, looking into November. And, so, I think you can understand the circumstances, trying to, you know, get this Hail Mary at the end and maybe even the playing field."

CNN's senior White House reporter, Betsy Klein, remarked, "If I'm a Republican — an incumbent Republican in a very lean Republican district, I'm very anxious right now."

The special session called by DeSantis is expected to vote on the new maps on Tuesday.

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