It stands to reason that more votes from Florida lawmakers will pay off in more clout for the state in setting federal policy over the next decade. But this silver cloud could hide a dark lining. Citizens are advised to pay close attention to this. Nothing is more fundamental to a political party's success than the demographic composition of the districts where its candidates must run. Democrats do best, for example, when districts are dominated by urban voters, and especially among African Americans.
Republicans thrive in the suburbs and, in South Florida, in Cuban-American neighborhoods.
So they do best when district lines are shaped to include these groups. Florida's Constitution gives the Legislature the duty to draw the districts for Congress, the state House and the state Senate. This year that's good news for Republicans and potential long term disaster for Democrats. Republicans control both chambers of the Florida Legislature by huge margins, thereby giving the GOP free rein to draw districts that will protect its members while weakening Democrats. Citizens should demand an end to gerrymandering If they want to make mischief, for example, they could draw lines in such a way that two Democratic lawmakers are put into the same district, ensuring that only one could survive a reelection.