During a campaign stop on Monday, Florida Congressman Byron Donalds signaled his firm support for the state legislature to redraw Florida’s congressional maps, arguing that the Sunshine State needs to counter recent redistricting maneuvers in other parts of the country.
Donalds, a Republican representing Florida’s 19th District, pointed specifically to shifts in Virginia and California as the primary catalyst for why Florida leaders should take action now.
He described a national “battle over apportionment” that dictates the power balance in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“California and Virginia [are] responding to Texas, and we’ve been watching all this kind of happen in Florida,” Donalds told attendees. “Because of what has been done in Virginia, now Florida needs to respond.”
The Congressman took particular aim at the situation in Virginia, citing Representative Abigail Spanberger and alleging that the state’s maps were shifted drastically. Donalds claimed Virginia moved from roughly a 6-5 split to what he described as a “10-1 map overnight.”
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In light of these changes, Donalds stated that Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature are “well within their rights and ability to redistrict Florida.”
Beyond responding to other states, Donalds also revisited long-standing grievances regarding the 2020 Census. He argued that the count was flawed, suggesting that a handful of residents in New York effectively kept a seat away from Florida’s delegation.
“I think what, 131 residents who were counted in New York now meant that New York kept a congressional district that quite frankly should be in Florida anyway,” Donalds said. “I just don’t believe that, I never will.”
When asked about the potential legal hurdles posed by Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment—a set of constitutional rules designed to prevent partisan gerrymandering—Donalds dismissed concerns that a new map would violate state law.
He maintained that the Governor and the legislature would “comply with fair districts like they always have” while pursuing the update.
The push for a new map comes as political parties across the U.S. continue to engage in a high-stakes chess match over district boundaries, with both sides seeking to maximize their seat count ahead of the next election cycle. While Donalds was vocal in his support, any official move to redistrict would require a formal session and approval by the Florida legislature.
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