Florida passes congressional map over Black lawmaker protest

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s Legislature has approved a congressional map pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis over the strong objections of Black and Democratic lawmakers. The opponents say the new map will diminish the state’s Black representation in the U.S. House and benefit Republicans. The measure passed 68-38 along party lines. The vote came during a raucous special session in which Black lawmakers staged a sit-in on the chamber floor and sang “We Shall Overcome.” Earlier this year, DeSantis took the unusual step of vetoing the map drawn by the Legislature and proposing his own. He called lawmakers back into the special session to approve it.