Democrats spent years warning that Republican redistricting would destroy democracy.
Now Hakeem Jeffries is threatening Florida with the same playbook.
And Ron DeSantis just called his bluff in the most Florida way possible.
The Threat That Backfired
Jeffries went on offense this week after DeSantis called a special legislative session to redraw Florida's congressional maps.
His message to Florida Republicans: "F around and find out."
Jeffries pointed to Texas, where Republicans pushed aggressive redistricting and are now struggling to deliver the five-seat pickups they promised.
"Under no circumstances are Texas Republicans picking up five seats," Jeffries said. "They'll be fortunate if they get two or three. While in California, we are going to get all five."
The warning was designed to put DeSantis on defense.
It did the opposite.
DeSantis took the podium at a Kissimmee press conference and turned Jeffries' threat into a campaign invitation.
"Please. Be my guest. I will pay for you to come down to Florida to campaign," DeSantis said. "I'll put you up in the Florida governor's mansion. We will take you fishing. We'll do all this stuff. There's nothing that could be better for Republicans in Florida than to see Jeffries, Hakeem Jeffries, everywhere around this state."
What Is Actually Happening in Florida
Florida currently sends 20 Republicans and 8 Democrats to Congress.
DeSantis called the special session to redraw maps around those eight Democratic-held districts, saying the new maps will "accurately reflect the population of our state."
Florida's state constitution bans explicit partisan favoritism in redistricting.
That constraint hasn't stopped DeSantis from moving forward – and Democrats know that even modest shifts in a state this large could reshape the House majority.
https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2047020226785493096?s=20
Jeffries fired back Thursday in a Fox News interview, calling DeSantis a "lame duck" and claiming his own congressional delegation resents him.
"Ron DeSantis is putting his own congressional delegation in jeopardy," Jeffries said. "All of them, as I understand it, can't stand the charismatically challenged lame-duck governor of Florida."
Calling your opponent charismatically challenged while he is publicly inviting you on a fishing trip is not the power move Jeffries thinks it is.
The Redistricting War Has No Ceasefire
Florida is not alone.
Virginia Democrats just won a referendum locking in favorable congressional maps before the 2026 midterms – a result President Trump personally campaigned against.
California Democrats are pursuing maps that could net them five additional seats.
Republicans in Texas are fighting to hold gains against a backlash they did not anticipate.
Both parties launched this arms race and neither side is stopping.
DeSantis has not released a specific redistricting plan, but the special session signals he intends to push as far as Florida's constitution allows.
Jeffries knows that.
His "F around and find out" message was meant to be a deterrent.
Instead DeSantis used it to remind Florida voters exactly what a national Democrat looks like – and why they keep losing the state by double digits.
Threatening a Republican governor in a state Trump won by 13 points and then calling him names on Fox News is not a strategy.
It is a fundraising email for the other side.
Sources:
- Kiera McDonald, "Jeffries calls DeSantis a 'lame duck' amid Florida redistricting fight," Fox News, April 23, 2026.
