They’re Begging You, Ron
Republicans in Congress are sweating after Viriginia voters approved a change to the state Constitution on Tuesday that allows for the use of new congressional maps this fall that would potentially flip four seats in Democrats’ favor (though, the state Supreme Court may still muck up matters for Dems).
After President Trump kicked off a nationwide gerrymandering war last year, there have been some whispers of acknowledgement this week that Trump’s bullying campaign was perhaps a mistake. The president pressured Republican-controlled legislatures in states around the country to redraw their district lines mid-cycle in order to give Republicans an advantage in the midterms. But that scheme is backfiring as Democrats in a few key states have been successful in offsetting the damage of Trump’s crusade. After Democrats’ win in Virginia on Tuesday evening, Dems have managed to draw 10 news seats for themselves nationwide, compared to Republicans’ nine.
So Republicans in Congress are upping the pressure on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to gerrymander the U.S. House map in his state because they see it as an uncomplicated space to try to squeeze out another seat or two.
“Florida has the right and the intention to do it. And my view is that they should,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told reporters on Wednesday. When he was asked specifically if the Florida legislature should approve new maps for the upcoming midterm elections, he said, “Yes, absolutely.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been pretty hush hush about the details of any plans to gerrymander House districts further in the state. A special session focused on redistricting in the state legislature is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, but no proposed maps have been made public. More details, per CNN:
Key Republicans involved in redistricting say they’ve been kept largely in the dark on DeSantis’ plans. There’s no coordination on the state level because of strict state rules around partisan gerrymandering, and no maps have been officially circulated within Florida’s congressional delegation either.
“They’re just kind of firing up the software now and seeing what they can draw, but it doesn’t seem like anyone has a plan,” someone close to DeSantis’ inner circle told CNN earlier this week. “They know they have to do something, but everyone is hoping we don’t get too greedy.”
Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) told CNN that she could see Florida Republicans redrawing district lines in order to pick up two or three seats, but warned that it might be “dangerous” for the state legislature to try to do more than that without risking incumbents’ reelection.
“I think that we get into some dangerous territory if we’re seriously considering five,” she said.
Other Florida Republicans in the U.S. House are worried about the implications of messing with district lines again, especially those in the southern half of the state who don’t want to have to compete in a new district.
But those concerns may fall on deaf ears. DeSantis has a bad relationship with a large chunk of Florida’s congressional delegation, primarily because nearly all of its members backed Trump during the 2024 Republican primaries for president over him and he is reportedly still mad about it.
And regardless, Trump is the main driver behind the nationwide gerrymandering war and DeSantis is eager to get back in his good graces, now that his political relevance is about to be the lowest its been in years: his term is up in January.
Four Senate Republicans Block SAVE Act From Budget Bill
Four of the usual suspects in the Republican Senate Conference voted against an amendment that would’ve asked the Senate Budget Committee to find a way to cram provisions of the sweeping voter suppression bill, the SAVE America Act, into a budget reconciliation package that will include more funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. The SAVE America ACT would mandate documentary proof of citizenship just to register to vote and photo ID for voting, among other things.
Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Mitch McConnell, the foursome that occasionally breaks with Trump either because they are women or because they are retiring — voted against the amendment, which was presented by Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) — blocking it.
DOJ IG Is Reviewing Release of Epstein Files
The Justice Deparment inspector general’s office is reviewing whether the DOJ’s release of the Jeffrey Epstein files is in line with the law Congress passed mandating the release of documents related to the DOJ’s investigation of the late sex offender. Per the AP:
The audit will revisit the department’s staggered and uneven release of millions of records from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation, a process that exposed it to accusations that it was attempting to protect President Donald Trump, who decades ago was friendly with the financier. It marks the watchdog office’s first significant effort since Trump took office for a second time to scrutinize the actions of a department that has been riven by tumult, including mass firings of employees and allegations of politicization of investigations.
In Case You Missed It
Great new reads in TPM Cafe: Two Immigration Panics, 20 Years Apart: What Happened in Farmers Branch?
And: Senate Republicans Have a Plan to Suspend Congressional Oversight of ICE for Trump’s Whole Term
Josh Marshall: FAFO and Other Things We Learned in the 2025-26 Redistricting Wars
Morning Memo: FBI Investigated NYT Reporter Who Wrote About Kash Patel’s Girlfriend
New edition of The Franchise out this afternoon: Trump Admin Election Deniers Set Their Sights on Detroit
Yesterday’s Most Read Story
The Latest DOJ Travesty Is a Dire Warning of the Grave Dangers Ahead
What We Are Reading
Trump Administration Aims to Strip Citizenship From Hundreds of Naturalized Americans
Michigan court tosses GOP bid to disenfranchise overseas voters
I’m not that familiar with how things work in Florida and not conversant with election laws at all. But this is the last week in April, how could Florida actually pass a new districting map and get it thru all the legal hurdles in time ?
I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that despite countless thousands of improper redactions, despite hiding photos and videos of Trump, and despite still withholding millions of documents, which include thousands of references to Trump, the Trump IG will somehow magically conclude that the Trump DOJ is in full compliance with the disclosure law. It’s a complete farce.
The same way delaying the Virginia re-districting by sending it through SCOTVA does.
Florida will be allowed to do it through unopposed legislation; Virginia does it through a legitimate election and they’re shut down as unconstitutional.
Different sets of rules by party.
The GOP have been gerrymandering so hard and for so long that all these southern state maps are within bare tolerances. You can be guaranteed Florida stands a chance of the redrawn lines being even worse for them come the time.
I can see where Florida would be able to pass it thru the Legislature easily enough but surely there would be legal cases filed, appeals processed etc. And still have time to run campaigns ? Seems like a very bad idea !