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Florida's new congressional map scrambled Tampa Bay, leaving voters unsure of what district they're in and who's running to represent them. 

Why it matters: The districts drawn in 2022 were supposed to last a decade. Now, voters have five months to learn new ones before November's election.

🗺️ The map is in effect: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the new congressional map into law earlier this month, and despite ongoing litigation, it remains in effect for November.

Voting rights groups have sued over the new map — arguing it is partisan and therefore illegal — and have asked a judge to block its use in this year's elections. No court has done so yet.

📍 Find where you fall in the new map: You can enter your address here to find your new congressional district.

🗳️ Who's in the running: Qualifying will take place on June 12, and the primary election is scheduled for Aug. 18. Until then, we cannot know for certain who will appear on your ballot in November.

But some Tampa Bay incumbents whose districts have been redrawn have announced their intention to run for re-election anyway.  

These include: U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Palm Harbor) in District 12; U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa) in District 14; and U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Brandon) in District 15.

🔬 Between the lines: The changes particularly affect District 14, which used to include Keystone, Westchase, East Lake-Orient Park, downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg — and leaned Democratic. 

It now includes Plant City to rural Wimauma, while leaving East Tampa, some of Ybor City and all of Pinellas County outside the district lines, shedding nearly 50,000 Black residents, per the Tampa Bay Times.

St. Petersburg is now lumped in with DeSoto and Hardee counties, and downtown Tampa with Citrus County. All of Tampa Bay's districts are now more favorable to Republicans.

Go deeper: How Florida's new congressional districts sliced up Tampa Bay

How Florida's new congressional districts sliced up Tampa Bay

What to know about Tampa Bay's new districts

Florida's new congressional map scrambled Tampa Bay.

Florida's congressional district map is displayed during a special legislative session at the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla., on April 28, 2026, amid a redistricting push by Gov. Ron DeSantis that could expand Republican U.S. House seats. 

Photo: Malcolm Jackson/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Florida&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new congressional map" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/05/07/tampa-bay-new-congressional-districts" data-vars-content-id="05fe87e7-7e87-4e4d-a55e-c40f6aebcbf4" data-vars-headline="What to know about Tampa Bay&#x27;s new districts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/05/07/tampa-bay-new-congressional-districts" target="_self">new congressional map</a> scrambled Tampa Bay, leaving voters unsure of what district they&#x27;re in and who&#x27;s running to represent them. Why it matters: The districts drawn in 2022 were supposed to last a decade. Now, voters have five months to learn new ones before November&#x27;s election.

Politics

Lawmakers are headed back to Tallahassee this week to make good on their sole constitutional obligation: the state budget.

Why it matters: Tens of millions of dollars in Tampa Bay projects are at stake — including a $50 million Hillsborough College campus overhaul that would make room for a new Rays stadium. 

Driving the news: The Legislature will convene the special session on Tuesday, and it will last until May 29. The Senate has already refiled its $115 billion proposal, while the House has yet to do so.

The budget proposal approved by the House during the regular session totaled $113.6 billion. Where the two chambers overlapped on Tampa Bay projects, the amounts often differed, sometimes by millions.

Here's a look at what else is on the table. 

💸 Sales tax holidays: Legislation filed in the House would, among other things, create a yearlong sales tax exemption on gun accessories such as holsters, magazines and grips. 

It would also create a sales tax holiday from September to December for hunting, fishing and camping supplies, including crossbows, fishing rods and reels priced at $75 or less, tents priced at $200 or less and more. 

The bill would also create a two-year exemption from the sales and use tax on the sale of home-hardening products, including impact-resistant doors, garage doors and windows, for eligible residential homes. 

⚾️ Hillsborough College's new home: The Senate's budget proposal sets aside $50 million for the college's new campus, central to the effort to clear the existing buildings for a new Rays stadium.

The previous House budget did not include funds for Hillsborough College's multimillion-dollar makeover because the college requested this funding only through the Senate.

With Gov. Ron DeSantis in its corner, Hillsborough College has reason to feel good about its chances of being included in the final budget.

🏫 New College's takeover: House Bill 5601-E would hand USF's Sarasota-Manatee campus over to New College of Florida and require New College to assume its debt by Oct. 30. 

Current students at USF Sarasota-Manatee will have the highest priority for classroom space in any transferred properties until graduation, provided they remain continuously enrolled.

What's next: If an agreement isn't reached before the special session closes, state lawmakers have until July 1 to avoid a government shutdown.

Lawmakers to tackle budget and tax holidays in special session

They have until July 1 to avoid a government shutdown.

Photo illustration of the Florida State Capitol building with lines radiating from it.

Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Lawmakers are headed back to Tallahassee this week to make good on their sole constitutional obligation: the state budget.Why it matters: Tens of millions of dollars in Tampa Bay projects are at stake — including a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$50 million Hillsborough College campus overhaul" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/01/22/hillsborough-college-asks-state-50-million-clear-way-rays-stadium" data-vars-content-id="0644838b-ee8f-47b6-beee-85683b047638" data-vars-headline="Lawmakers to tackle budget and tax holidays in special session" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/01/22/hillsborough-college-asks-state-50-million-clear-way-rays-stadium" target="_self">$50 million Hillsborough College campus overhaul</a> that would make room for a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new Rays stadium" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/02/05/rays-new-stadium-renderings-hillsborough-college" data-vars-content-id="0644838b-ee8f-47b6-beee-85683b047638" data-vars-headline="Lawmakers to tackle budget and tax holidays in special session" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/02/05/rays-new-stadium-renderings-hillsborough-college" target="_self">new Rays stadium</a>.

News

Florida's attorney general has waded into what was once a routine surrogacy case, arguing that the practice is unconstitutional and "akin to slavery," according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Why it matters: The case could have sweeping implications for the state's surrogacy laws, abortion access and in vitro fertilization.

Catch up quick: A gay couple living in France contracted with a woman in Florida to be their surrogate, per the Times. As the due date approached, the two men petitioned a Broward County court for early parental rights.

Judge Marlon Weiss granted their petition, but in his order, he questioned whether surrogacy is constitutional, his view being that unborn children are entitled to personhood and cannot be subject to these contracts. 

Attorney General James Uthmeier intervened in the case after the couple notified the court of the child's birth, and it is now before Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal.

Driving the news: Uthmeier's position is that surrogacy runs afoul of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. 

The family's lawyer told the Times the attorney general seems more interested in obtaining a legal ruling against reproductive technology than in questioning the couple's fitness as parents.

Specifically, the attorney general argues the government has a duty to protect children who cannot choose whether they are raised by biological parents, according to the Times.

Between the lines: This isn't the first time the DeSantis administration has tried to change surrogacy laws. 

In January, Gov. Ron DeSantis aimed to prevent anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident from commissioning a surrogate in Florida, per the Times.

Ultimately, the Legislature only barred citizens or residents of "countries of concern," like China and Iran, from entering into surrogacy contracts.

Florida AG targets surrogacy in court, report says

The case could have sweeping implications for the state's surrogacy laws, abortion access and in vitro fertilization.

Illustration of a caduceus turning into a gavel.

Florida&#x27;s attorney general has waded into what was once a routine surrogacy case, arguing that the practice is unconstitutional and &quot;akin to slavery,&quot; according to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Tampa Bay Times" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2026/05/08/florida-uthmeier-attorney-general-surrogacy-ivf-abortion-law/" data-vars-content-id="084f3579-87c4-4dc7-bbd2-7968e0c9c3fe" data-vars-headline="Florida AG targets surrogacy in court, report says" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2026/05/08/florida-uthmeier-attorney-general-surrogacy-ivf-abortion-law/" target="_blank">Tampa Bay Times</a>.Why it matters: The case could have sweeping implications for the state&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="surrogacy laws" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/29/surrogacy-state-law-different" data-vars-content-id="084f3579-87c4-4dc7-bbd2-7968e0c9c3fe" data-vars-headline="Florida AG targets surrogacy in court, report says" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/29/surrogacy-state-law-different" target="_self">surrogacy laws</a>, abortion access and in vitro fertilization.

Hillsborough County on Thursday unveiled its non-binding memorandum of understanding with the Rays and the city of Tampa for a new stadium.

Why it matters: It's a hopeful sign for the Rays, who have set a deadline of June 1 for a completed agreement and are working against a tight window to have a new ballpark ready by Opening Day 2029. 

Driving the news: The stadium is expected to cost $2.3 billion. Under the nonbinding agreement, local governments would contribute no more than $976 million — less than the $1 billion the team sought.

Hillsborough County would provide $796 million, $360 million of which would come from its half-cent sales tax. The city of Tampa and the Drew Park Community Redevelopment Agency would contribute $180 million.  

Per the agreement, the county would own the stadium, exempting it from property taxes, while the adjacent mixed-use development proposed by the team would remain taxable. 

Between the lines: The county got much of what it asked for in its stadium workshop. 

The Rays agreed to cut costs where possible in stadium areas backed by taxpayer dollars, and local governments would not be required to find alternative funding if any of their share falls through.

Local governments would also not be responsible for any costs associated with Hillsborough College's campus overhaul or for any transportation improvements or parking needed to accommodate the stadium.

What they're saying: "This is a rare and perhaps unprecedented moment for Tampa Bay," said Rays CEO Ken Babby in a statement.

The Rays "are all in on this opportunity and look forward to working with officials in the days ahead to bring this project to life."

Yes, but: County Attorney Julia Mandell wrote in an email to commissioners that "there are many issues which remain pending to be resolved."

Friction point: Pressure is mounting on local leaders to strike a deal with the Rays as Orlando smells blood in the water and fans sound off online.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (a friend of Rays managing partner Patrick Zalupski) spoke this week about the prospect of the team packing up for Orlando, which he said "would plow a lot of money into" a stadium there.

State Sen. Ed Hooper (R-Clearwater) told the Tampa Bay Times that his chamber would not commit funds toward the construction of a new campus for Hillsborough College until the Rays secure local support.

The big picture:  The college's makeover is central to the stadium effort. Officials initially requested $50 million from the state, but reports suggest that figure could swell to $150 million.

The Senate allocated funding for Hillsborough College in its budget proposal, while the House (which had not received a request) did not.

What's next: The Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners is expected to vote on the memorandum of understanding at its meeting next Wednesday. The Tampa City Council could follow next Thursday. 

Hillsborough County unveils proposed stadium deal with Rays

Local governments would contribute no more than $976 million.

Aerial view of a modern urban complex at sunset featuring a large glass-domed stadium, surrounding high-rise buildings, green spaces, and a baseball field in the background.

Rendering: Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Hillsborough County" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/04/16/takeaways-hillsborough-rays-workshop" data-vars-content-id="52c2b4d4-e93a-4ac3-852e-954552b088a3" data-vars-headline="Hillsborough County unveils proposed stadium deal with Rays" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/04/16/takeaways-hillsborough-rays-workshop" target="_self">Hillsborough County</a> on Thursday unveiled its non-binding memorandum of understanding with the Rays and the city of Tampa for a new stadium.Why it matters: It&#x27;s a hopeful sign for the Rays, who have set a deadline of June 1 for a completed agreement and are working against a tight window to have a new ballpark ready by Opening Day 2029.

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Featured stories

Hillsborough County unveils proposed stadium deal with Rays

Take the Axios Tampa Bay news quiz!

Florida AG targets surrogacy in court, report says

What to know about Tampa Bay's new districts

Lawmakers to tackle budget and tax holidays in special session