Judge invalidates Florida's congressional districts, appeal is likely

[politicallefty]

There are for FL-14 and FL-5. Not great ones necessarily, but they're there.

What is the argument for FL-14? I can't see how it's anything other than a blatant attempt by Republicans to pack as many Democrats in one district in the Tampa Bay Area as possible. There's no reason why, in any reasonably fair map, any part of Tampa or St. Petersburg should be in the same district. I cannot see the reason as to why the Tampa-based FL-14 should cut into the most Democratic parts of St. Petersburg. There is no reason why there shouldn't be a separate Tampa district contained entirely within Hillsborough County and a separate St. Petersburg district contained entirely within Pinellas County, both of which containing the entirety of their respective cities. The only reason why FL-14 isn't confined to Hillsborough County is to make FL-13 as Republican as possible. Republicans would most likely lose FL-13 if it contained all of St. Petersburg. They knew that and that's why they drew the area as it is.

[politicallefty]

I agree that that is much more reasonable, and that such a map should have been drawn under a fair interpretation of the law.

And yet, have you had a look at Pinellas County's racial population distribution? That Black enclave in Petersburg is incredibly contained, and (I forget who... the state NAACP? The area's local representative)'s proposed map included the area in CD-14.

Whoever proposes districts like that is guilty of partisan gerrymandering. It is not a district that is protected by the VRA. Even worse, it's strictly water contiguity that joins the two separate parts together. There are three bridges that cross the Tampa Bay, all of which are well to the north of the FL-14 crossing. FL-14 is designed solely to remove the most Democratic precincts from what would otherwise be included in FL-13. A FL-13 with all of St. Petersburg entirely within Pinellas County would likely turn Democratic in little time.

I don't really trust the local representation. They just want their safe seats. Corrine Brown of the current FL-05 wanted to have Florida's new redistricting scheme struck down in federal court, and not surprisingly is strongly opposed to this new judicial ruling. Virtually all incumbents will do whatever it takes to hold onto their safe seats.