South Florida's congressional districts saw a significant shift under a newly signed map.

Why it matters: The new lines group together communities that span county lines and have little in common, and they dilute the Black vote in what activists say undoes the state's Fair Districts Amendment.

Driving the news: Gov. Ron DeSantis last week signed into law a new map that could net Republicans four more seats in Congress, arguing the new lines are "race neutral" and reflect Florida's recent population boom.

• DeSantis posted the map on his X account, with the caption: "Signed, Sealed, and Delivered."
• Click here to search by address and find out what district you'll be in under the new maps.

The other side: "I don't know that we can say we have equal-seized districts because [the administration] is using old [census] data," Jared Nordlund, UnidosUS Florida political director, told Axios.

• The maps, based on data from the 2020 census, "could be grossly wrong in terms of the people who actually live" in those areas, he said.

The big picture: Eighty-six percent of the state's congressional districts will favor the GOP, despite just 41% of Florida voters being registered Republicans.

• And of those registered Republicans, 80% are white, the Miami Herald reported.

Zoom in: In District 20, formerly held by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who is Black, the new map pulls majority-Black areas into a district with surrounding majority-white areas.

• And a portion of District 24, represented by Frederica Wilson, who is also Black, is being merged with a newly created District 25.
• That district runs from Miami Beach to north of Boca Raton, areas that would seem to share little in common.

The intrigue: Districts 27 and 28, represented by Maria Elvira Salazar and Carlos Gimenez, respectively, didn't change.

• Nordlund says that shows those responsible for redrawing the maps suspect those races to be vulnerable in upcoming election cycles.

Zoom out: In Orlando, the maps split the once-grouped Hispanic population into three separate, majority-white districts.

• The new maps will result in a "dilution of power and voice" of voters, where their needs in Congress might not be met, Nordlund said. "How is that fair?"
• The governor's office did not respond to Axios' request for comment.

What we're watching: A lawsuit filed by the civil rights group Equal Ground Education Fund argues that DeSantis' map violates the state constitution's ban on partisan gerrymandering.

Share this story

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

State of play: The Legislature will convene the special session tomorrow, 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.
• Here's a look at what else is on the table, including a handful of local budget requests still up for debate:

💸 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.

• 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.

🚶🏻‍♂️Nature trail: Miami-Dade County initially requested $1 million to fund construction of a 2.5-mile segment of the Biscayne-Everglades Greenway near Homestead.

• The request, now at $350,000, includes the construction of a 10-foot-wide asphalt multi-use trail along the Mowry Canal, Southwest 117th Avenue and Southwest 320th Street, along with new bike lanes on Southwest 137th Avenue.

🔫 AI gun detection: Miami-Dade Public Schools is requesting $350,000 to fund an AI-based gun detection technology.

• The company ZeroEyes would tap into existing school district cameras to detect weapons. Initially, the request was for $3 million.

What's next

🤑 The co-CEO of Plantation-based NationsBenefits sold his Miami Beach mansion for $35 million, a 79% gain in value from the initial purchase. (South Florida Business Journal)

😋 Delano Miami Beach reopened after a six-year closure for renovations with two internationally-known restaurants, Gigi Rigolatto, a Mediterranean spot, and Mimi Kakushi, a Japanese-inspired concept. (Miami Herald)

🏥 The city of Hialeah is alleging two hospitals, Palmetto General Hospital and Hialeah Hospital, owe it millions in unpaid water bills. (Miami Herald)

Miami's frozen yogurt scene continues to expand, and I finally tried Tata's Yogurt Bar.

Why it matters: I kept delaying my visit to the Coconut Grove eatery because my trusted sources (aka friends who also love froyo) had mixed reviews and frankly, I couldn't handle a disappointing sweet treat.

• I was also skeptical of the shops "no sugar, no substitutes" approach. (Not everything has to be healthy. Life is worth living!)

State of sweet: Guests can choose from just one base flavor, tart greek yogurt, but "The Fixings" are expansive.

• There's more than a dozen toppings, ranging from crushed pistachios, berries and fig preserves, to various nut butters and caramelized walnuts.

What I ordered: The shop's signature combo: Yogurt base, with olive oil and sea salt.

• I added blueberries and crushed pistachios, because what's a sweet treat if you don't add extra toppings.
• The regular, 8oz size includes two toppings ($12). Each additional topping is $1.

The verdict: It was a bit lackluster.

• The froyo swirl didn't have much flavor and the consistency was a bit too watery for my liking (I compared it to a slightly creamier Piragua).
• The toppings were fresh and tasty!

The bottom line: It's a refreshing snack! But if I'm craving something sweet, I'll probably opt for another option.

Tell a friend

Ticket prices have soared ahead of the Colombia-Portugal match in the World Cup group stage at Hard Rock Stadium on June 27, averaging about $2,500, according to TicketData as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

That's the priciest group-stage game that doesn't feature any of the tournament's three co-hosts—the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. And it's even higher than the average get-in price for the 2025 Super Bowl, which was $2,109, according to TicketData.