I think you're underestimating the Pragmatism of Florida Republicans. For starters, it helps them immensely to shift the 3rd West from Jacksonville towards Tallahassee (and ensure the 2nd becomes vastly more Republican) instead of Orlando, and then cover the Liberal parts of Orange and Osceola and Volusia counties to help keep the 8th and 24th in Republican hands.
That would be a rational thing for them to do, but I wonder, can they draw a VRA district that also includes Tallahassee and Gadsden County without getting too spindly?
