If Democrats think Florida is ripe for a political joyride, Gov. Ron DeSantis just handed them a fishing pole—and a reality check.
After House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries puffed his chest and warned Republicans to “F around and find out” over redistricting, DeSantis didn’t flinch. He laughed.
“Please. Be my guest. I will pay for you to come down to Florida to campaign,” DeSantis quipped. “I’ll put you up in the Florida governor’s mansion. We will take you fishing.”
Democrats might want to pack sunscreen—and maybe a map—because they’re about to get lost in a state that’s been trending redder by the minute.
“There’s nothing that could be better for Republicans in Florida than to see Jeffries everywhere around this state,” DeSantis added, twisting the knife just a bit further.
Jeffries, for his part, is trying to sound like the general of a comeback army. “Our message to Florida Republicans is F around and find out,” he declared, warning of what he called a “DeSantis dummy-mander” and predicting an “electoral tide” turning in the Sunshine State.
Bold words—but they come as Democrats across the country scramble to keep up in a redistricting arms race they suddenly seem desperate to join.
Both parties play this game. But Democrats pretending they’re above it? That ship sailed long ago. From New York to California, blue states have been slicing and dicing maps for years to squeeze out every last advantage. Now that Republicans are fighting back in places like Texas and Florida, suddenly it’s a crisis.
The broader backdrop here is a no-holds-barred battle for control of the House in 2026. After Donald Trump encouraged Republicans to shore up their slim majority by redrawing maps in Texas, a domino effect kicked off. States like North Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia are all in the mix.
And Democrats? They’re not exactly sitting on their hands. In Virginia, a push led by Gov. Abigail Spanberger aims to stretch a narrow 6–5 advantage into something far more comfortable. So much for “fair maps.”
Now Florida is the next battlefield. With Republicans controlling the governor’s office and legislature—and holding 20 of the state’s 28 congressional seats—DeSantis has called a special session to redraw the lines.
“Today, I announced that I will be convening a special session of the Legislature focused on redistricting to ensure that Florida’s congressional maps accurately reflect the population of our state,” he said earlier this year, pointing to rapid demographic changes.
Democrats insist Republicans are overreaching, arguing the GOP could end up spreading its voters too thin and accidentally creating competitive districts. Jeffries even claimed Texas Republicans are “on the run” and predicted they’d fall short of their goals.
“The Republicans are dumbly meandering their way into the minority before a single vote is cast,” he said.
That’s a lot of confidence from a party that’s been bleeding ground in Florida for years. Once the ultimate swing state, it’s now looking more like a conservative stronghold—something Democrats still seem unwilling to fully accept.
Here’s the bottom line: this isn’t about principle. It’s about power. And in Florida, DeSantis is making it crystal clear he’s ready for the fight—while practically rolling out the red carpet for his opponents to walk right into it.
If Jeffries really wants to “find out,” Florida might be the last place he wants to start.
