(The Hill) — Florida Republicans are increasingly pushing to redraw the state’s congressional lines following a similar move by the Texas GOP.

On Wednesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced he is considering asking the state Legislature to redraw the state’s congressional map, citing perceived inaccuracies in the 2020 census.

In support of redistricting, Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-Fla.) expressed his approval on social media platform X, stating, “If Texas can do it, the Free State of Florida can do it 10 times better.”

According to Florida Republicans, this initiative was already in motion following a state Supreme Court ruling that upheld a congressional map endorsed by DeSantis and state Republicans.

But the plan is gaining even more traction in the wake of Texas Republicans’ unveiling of a new congressional map.

“It’s gaining momentum,” Florida GOP Chair Evan Power informed The Hill. “We were probably moving in this direction with the court decision, but Texas brought it to the forefront of the news.”

Florida has seen an uptick in population growth following the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Over the past decade, the state has shifted firmly Republican, with an increase in Republican representation in Congress, and traditionally Democratic areas such as Miami-Dade and Osceola counties transitioning from blue to red.

Should redistricting occur, several Democratic-held congressional seats could be affected, particularly those in south Florida represented by Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jared Moskowitz, and Lois Frankel. Reps. Kathy Castor (D) in the Tampa region and Darren Soto (D) near Orlando have also been mentioned as possible targets.

Florida Republicans already hold a 20 to 8 advantage over Democrats in the congressional delegation. 

Republicans were boosted last month when the state’s Supreme Court ruled to uphold a congressional map that blocked a challenge to the elimination of a majority-Black congressional district in the north of the state that previously was represented by former Rep. Al Lawson (D). The area that comprised the former congressional district is now divided among three Republican lawmakers.

But DeSantis is not stopping there.

The governor has argued that Florida got a “raw deal” in the 2020 census when the state only gained one congressional seat. The governor said last month he had relayed his concerns to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick after he was sworn in earlier this year and that the Trump administration could be pursuing redoing the census.

Additionally, the governor said he believes Florida’s Fair District amendments, which a majority of voters approved of in 2010, could conflict with the U.S. Constitution. The amendments say that districts cannot be drawn in a way that hinders minorities voting for their choice of elected representatives. 

“There’s a lot of people who believe that the Fair District Amendments is unconstitutional, because what it does is, it mandates having race predominate,” DeSantis said this week. “Whereas, neutrality should really be the constitutional standard.” 

Patronis also said in his X post that he believes the Fair District Amendments are unconstitutional “because it violates freedom of speech AND elections are a states rights issue.”

“Time to add more conservatives to Congress, so we can better deliver on President Trump’s agenda, finally win the war against woke, cut government waste, and create an economy that moves our country into a new age of prosperity,” Patronis said. 

Republicans argue that DeSantis and the state’s Republicans could be setting an example for other red states to follow. 

“DeSantis here sees an opportunity to be a trailblazer for the Republican Party in this sense in that he could be setting up a pilot program that Texas and some of the other states can actually follow,” a Florida Republican strategist said. 

“Let’s not disillusion ourselves, if he pulls this off, he will be a fan favorite of one person who sits at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,” the strategist added, referring to Trump. 

So far, Republicans in the Florida state Legislature have remained publicly quiet about the prospect of pursuing redistricting. This year’s state legislative session was extended from 60 days to 105 days and saw tensions emerge between DeSantis and members of his own party. 

State Rep. Alex Andrade, a vocal Republican critic of DeSantis, said he has not spoken to his colleagues about redistricting. The state lawmaker noted he would support the effort only if the census was redone. 

“I get the partisan argument,” Andrade told The Hill. “I understand we could make hay right now and benefit Republicans but at some point do I care more about my party or the Constitution?”

“If the census were redone, I’d jump all over it,” he said. 

Florida Democrats warn that a move by DeSantis and the state’s Republicans would set a negative precedent.

“It would mean that the governor and the state legislative branch would completely capitulate under Donald Trump,” state House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D) said. “It’s not supposed to be that the president gets to act like a king and say ‘do this on my behalf.’” 

In a Facebook video posted by Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Soto accused Republicans of wanting to cheat in the election.

“They want to pick their voters rather than voters picking their representatives,” he said. “You’ll see us do whatever we can in the courts to make sure that the Fair Districts Amendments are enforced.” 

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Madison Andrus dismissed the effort from Florida Republicans as “a bold-faced attempt to save their flailing midterm performance by rigging the game.” 

The effort comes as the nationwide redistricting war heats up and both parties seek to gain seats ahead of next year’s midterm elections. 

In addition to Republicans in Texas and potentially Florida taking a look at redistricting, Democrats in states like California and New Jersey are also exploring their options. 

“There’s an opportunity and if it better reflects the makeup of a state whether that’s Texas or Florida, or to Gavin Newsom’s point even California, then you should do it,” a national Republican strategist said. 

“These redistricting efforts, if they comply with the law and meet all of the various federal thresholds to get mapped through, if you do that and do it quickly, you’re going to increase the likelihood that the president and Republicans in Washington and going to be able to keep pushing things forward,” the strategist continued.