House Democrats cited state election performance and voter registration data during floor action Thursday as they questioned why proposed Florida legislative and congressional redistricting maps would continue to favor majority Republicans.
Redistricting Committee Chairman Will Weatherford, a Wesley Chapel Republican, repeatedly insisted political data was not used to draw the maps and denied any intent to favor incumbents or the GOP.
The discussion was a prelude to roll calls set Friday on two separate plans, one for the Legislature (SJR 1176) and the other for Florida's 27 congressional seats (SB 1174). The congressional map adds two more seats to Florida's present 25 due to population growth over the past decade.
Democrats said Republicans would have an advantage in a clear majority of the 120 redrawn House districts, although voter registration is split almost equally between the two major parties statewide. Democrats actually have nearly 500,000 more registered voters ? 4.55 million to 4.06 million for the Republicans.
Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, questioned what he called "the diminished, psycho-cosmic retrogression" of the proposed lines and asked why the House map didn't start out with 60 Republican and 60 Democratic seats.
"If you're saying we should engineer a political result to come from these maps, that is blatantly against the law," Weatherford responded.
The law changed two years ago when voters adopted a pair of redistricting amendments that prohibit lawmakers from intentionally favoring incumbents or political parties. The Fair Districts amendments also protect minority voting rights and require lines to follow geographic and political boundaries whenever feasible.
Critics, including three groups that are part of the Fair Districts coalition that sponsored the amendments, say the maps violate those provisions because they favor incumbents and Republicans.
Weatherford said they not only comply with the amendments but also with the federal Voting Rights Act.
Under questioning by Democrats, Weatherford denied discussing the redistricting plans with national and state Republican Party officials. He also denied that Democratic-voting minorities have been "packed" into a handful of districts to give the GOP a better chance to win surrounding seats.
In denying the maps favor incumbents, Weatherford noted media reports indicate nearly a third of sitting House members will be placed in different districts or doubled up with other incumbents.
The congressional map also would put some incumbents in new districts. Unlike state lawmakers, though, they are not required to live in their districts. Two South Florida incumbents already have announced plans to run in different districts.
That's because the congressional map gives a Democratic lean to Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West's current district. West, a tea party favorite and one of only two black Republicans in Congress, plans to run in a more favorable neighboring district currently held by fellow Republican Tom Rooney, who cleared West's path by announcing he'd run in a third district.
The Senate earlier passed both plans but without a map for the House, which drafted its own. The House on Thursday added its map to the Senate-passed plan on a straight 80-39 party line vote.
Both sets of maps will return to the Senate for final action, probably next week, once they are passed by the House.
The congressional plan then would go to Gov. Rick Scott who could sign or veto it. The legislative maps would go to the Florida Supreme Court to determine if complies with state and federal law.
Both plans also must undergo Department of Justice review due to past racial discrimination in five of Florida 67 counties.
Republicans currently have an 81-29 majority in the House, a 28-12 advantage in the Senate and a 19-6 edge in the congressional delegation.
