Florida Lawmakers Eye Mid-Decade Redistricting Amid National GOP Push
Florida's Republican leadership is taking the first steps toward a rare mid-decade redistricting, aligning with a broader national push from President Donald Trump to reshape political maps ahead of the 2026 midterms.
House Speaker Daniel Perez has announced the creation of a redistricting committee, with members to be named in September. While mid-decade redistricting is uncommon, it has gained traction in GOP-led states like Texas and Ohio. The strategy, according to Southeast Politics publisher Janelle Irwin Taylor, is driven by the historical trend that midterm elections often benefit the party out of power in Washington—currently the Democrats. With Republicans holding only a slim three-seat majority in the U.S. House, even small Democratic gains could shift control.
"Gerrymandering districts is nothing new. Both parties have done it forever," Irwin Taylor said. "But this time, they're just straight up saying it."
Initially, some Florida Republican leaders, including Senate President Ben Albritton, expressed hesitation, partly due to strained relations with Governor Ron DeSantis. However, Irwin Taylor predicts that reluctance will fade as party leaders rally behind Trump’s agenda. Democrats in Florida, unlike in Texas, would have little recourse to block the effort due to their small minority in the state legislature.
The debate also includes whether to exclude undocumented immigrants from population counts, a move both Trump and DeSantis support. Proponents argue this benefits red states, though studies suggest the impact is minimal and could even backfire in Florida, which has a sizable undocumented population.
With Florida's population growth and the GOP's determination to maintain control, the state is expected to be a major political battleground in the coming years. The final outcome of this redistricting push could shape Florida’s political landscape well beyond the next election cycle.
Listen to the full conversation on The Ryan Gorman Show to hear why this redistricting fight could set the stage for one of Florida's most contentious political battles in decades.