TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — In a highly unusual move, Republican legislative leaders on Monday deferred to Gov. Ron DeSantis to draft a new congressional map in an apparent attempt to appease the governor and dissolve intraparty tensions over the redistricting process in Florida.
The decision, announced jointly by Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, comes two weeks after DeSantis vetoed a congressional map approved by the Legislature and called state lawmakers back into a special session to craft a new plan that would be to his liking.
Historically, the Legislature has taken the lead in redrawing the lines of congressional districts. But DeSantis will take the lead on the congressional map-making heading into the special session that is scheduled to start April 19.
