Governor Ron DeSantis finalized a major shift in Florida’s political landscape last Monday, signing a new congressional map that reshapes 21 of the state’s 28 U.S. House districts.
While Districts 1 through 7 remain unchanged, the overhaul has left incumbents and challengers alike scrambling to understand the new boundaries ahead of the June 8 qualifying deadline.
The plan, designated as HB 1D, was met with an immediate legal challenge in Leon County Circuit Court by a voting rights group. However, for the current election cycle, these are the districts in play.
Central Florida and the I-4 Corridor
The redistricting brings significant shifts to the Orlando area. District 8, represented by Republican Mike Haridopolos, now pushes deeper into Orange County, adding 160,000 residents while dropping Indian River County.
District 9 saw an even more dramatic transformation. Previously centered on Osceola and parts of Orange and Polk counties, it now stretches through the middle of the state to include Indian River, Okeechobee, Highlands, and Glades counties. The seat, held by Democrat Darren Soto, has shifted from a Democratic-leaning territory to one that favored Donald Trump 58-41 in the 2024 election.
In District 11, the retirement of incumbent Daniel Webster coincides with the district shedding its Polk County territory to move further into southwestern Orange County. While it remains a Republican stronghold, its GOP edge has narrowed slightly.
Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast
The Tampa Bay region is now split among three districts. District 15, held by Laurel Lee, has expanded north to include all of Hernando and Citrus counties while dropping its Polk County portion.
Nearby, District 12—held by Gus Bilirakis—gave up its northern counties and shifted south into Hillsborough. In Pinellas County, Anna Paulina Luna’s District 13 moved north into Pasco County, adding 62,000 residents.
One of the most notable shifts occurred in District 14. Represented by Democrat Kathy Castor, the seat moved from a Democratic-leaning profile to one that voted for Donald Trump by 11 points in 2024. Despite the change, Castor has stated she will run in the redrawn district this November.
READ: DeSantis Appoints Florida Educators, Health Pros, And Veterans to Key Boards Across the State
Southwest and Rural Transitions
Significant changes were made to District 16, which now spans five counties, including Manatee and parts of St. Petersburg. With incumbent Vern Buchanan not seeking another term, Sydney Gruters has filed to run for the seat.
In District 19, the seat held by Byron Donalds—who is running for governor—no longer includes Fort Myers but reaches further into inland Collier County. The open race has already attracted 11 Republican candidates, including former North Carolina Representative Madison Cawthorn.
The South Florida Redraw
The Governor specifically identified District 20 as a primary example of a “racial gerrymander” that required a redraw. The old district used “fingers” to connect Black communities across rural Palm Beach and Broward. The new version is now entirely contained within Broward County.
This seat is currently vacant after Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned last month, though she intends to run again while facing a federal probe.
Other major South Florida shifts include:
- District 22: Moved from the coast to the inland communities of Wellington and Parkland, then sprawled west into Hendry and Collier counties. It is now considered a toss-up.
- District 23: Shifts from a cross-county district to one entirely within Palm Beach County. Incumbent Jared Moskowitz is expected to run in a different district, possibly District 25.
- District 25: Formerly a Broward-based seat, it now runs along the coast from Palm Beach to Miami-Dade. It has shifted from a Democratic lean to a Republican tilt.
The southernmost districts, 27 and 28, represented by Maria Elvira Salazar and Carlos Gimenez, saw only minimal changes to their existing boundaries.
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