FLORIDA — Florida's next congressional map fight is officially underway. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he is calling lawmakers back to Tallahassee for a special session in April to redraw U.S. House districts.
The move comes just before the regular 2026 legislative session begins and could have major implications for the midterm elections.
Gov. DeSantis said recent court rulings and a pending U.S. Supreme Court case on racial gerrymandering leave Florida little choice but to redraw the map mid-decade.
WATCH: Florida governor calls special session to redraw congressional map
“I am going to issue a proclamation to convene a special session of the Florida Legislature to do redistricting of the congressional map in the state of Florida,” said DeSantis
The proposed session would run in late April.
The governor's timeline has sparked disagreement with some Florida lawmakers. Republican Rep. Mike Redondo wants a new map completed during the regular session to avoid election complications.
“Given the fact that we are less than a year away from the election, not to mention the fact that the candidate qualifying period for federal office is in late April, it would be irresponsible to delay the creation and passage of a new map, especially until after session,” said Redondo.
Meanwhile, voter advocacy groups are pushing back on the idea altogether. They argue it violates Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment, which prevents redistricting for partisan gain.
Florida Democrats do not have the numbers to block the session but plan to participate, speak out and build a record for potential legal challenges.
“Politicians should not pick their people. Florida's government should not be rigging elections. That's what they do in places like Cuba and Venezuela, not America.,” said Democratic Rep. Fentrice Driskell.
The special session is scheduled for April 20-24th.
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