How Florida's new congressional districts sliced up Tampa Bay
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Tampa Bay's congressional districts are getting a sweeping makeover under a newly signed map.
Why it matters: New congressional lines splinter Tampa's Democratic voters and stitch together far-flung communities with little in common, an overhaul that could cost the region's taxpayers more than $1 million.
Driving the news: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a new map that could net Republicans four more seats in Congress, eliminating Tampa Bay's lone Democratic-leaning seat in the process.
- DeSantis posted the map on his X account, with the caption: "Signed, sealed, delivered." He has said the redistricting effort was intended to reflect Florida's population boom and make the map "race neutral."
- A lawsuit filed by the civil rights group Equal Ground Education Fund, however, argues that DeSantis' map violates the state constitution's ban on partisan gerrymandering.
Between the lines: Democratic elections analyst Matt Isbell tells Axios that one of the map's goals was to divide the Democratic bloc in downtown Tampa to create a seat more favorable to Republicans.
- To that end, the redrawn map splits downtown Tampa into Districts 12, 14 and 15, leaving the region's lone congressional Democrat, Rep. Kathy Castor, vulnerable. Each of those districts now leans Republican.
- The new districts also create some odd pairings: St. Petersburg with DeSoto and Hardee counties, and downtown Tampa with Citrus County — places that now share a representative, if not much else.
Zoom in: District 12 covered Citrus and Hernando counties, as well as parts of Marion and Pasco. Now, it only goes as far north as Shady Hills in Pasco County and as south as Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa.
- District 13 once stretched as far north as Tarpon Springs, east to Oldsmar, south to Fort De Soto and west to Indian Rocks Beach. Now, it only goes as far south as Indian Shores and extends eastward into Kenneth City.
- District 14 used to cover Keystone, Westchase, East Lake-Orient Park, downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg. Now, it only goes as far north as Town 'n' Country, east to Plant City and south to rural Wimauma.
- District 15 once included Zephyrhills, Plant City, Northdale, Carrollwood, and University Area. It now goes from Tampa into Florida's Nature Coast, covering Hernando and Citrus counties and part of Pasco County.
- District 16 used to cover Manatee County and parts of southeast Hillsborough. Now, it includes St. Petersburg, parts of Sarasota and Polk counties and all of Manatee, DeSoto and Hardee counties.
What they're saying: "If you live in Ybor City, you're going to have to try to stay up with a representative who is serving Citrus County," Castor told the Florida Phoenix.
- "Or if you're a St. Petersburg resident, you are in a district with folks in Hardee and DeSoto counties," she added. "That's such a disservice. It's so disrespectful to those communities, and it's blatantly wrong.
- The governor's office did not respond to Axios' request for comment.