Florida Republicans hold a super-majority of both the House and Senate, and so it comes as no surprise preliminary redistricting maps favor Republicans, says Mary Ellen Klas, Tallahassee bureau chief for the Miami Herald.
But gerrymandered districts are not the only reason Florida is a state with a primarily Republican leadership and Democratic electorate, says Aubrey Jewett, political scientist at the University of Central Florida.
Klas and Jewett joined Rep. Chris Dorworth, member of the state House Redistricting Committee and Lake Mary Republican, in a panel discussion this week on redistricting on “Intersection.” The discussion was part of a special production of WMFE-Orlando and WUSF-Tampa.
Jewett said Florida Democrats often are less organized than Republicans. They often have a hard time getting good candidates and are outspent.
Redistricting will dominate this year’s legislative session, which began this week. How do you think redistricting will reshape Florida’s leadership?
Tune into “Intersection” Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. The show is rebroadcast Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. Then share your perspective here on Florida Talks.
Filed under: Intersection, WMFE
