Southwest Florida districts could be redrawn, splitting Lee and Collier counties

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WINK)— Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' office sent lawmakers a proposed congressional redistricting map that could create four new Republican seats and reshape districts across Southwest Florida.

The map suggests Democrats could lose ground in Tampa Bay, Central, and South Florida. In Southwest Florida, Lee and Collier counties would see significant changes to their current district lines.

Under the proposed map, Lee County would be split. Most of the area, including much of Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and Estero, would stay in the same district.

The line shifts south, pulling more of northern Lee near Charlotte County into a district with Sarasota and Charlotte. In Collier County, the coast would no longer be kept together.

Naples would remain in Southwest Florida, but Marco Island and inland areas like Immokalee would be moved into a district that stretches into Broward and Palm Beach counties. Where residents live in their county could now decide not just their district, but how competitive their vote is.

Some Democrats are calling it a partisan gerrymander that could end up in court. University of Central Florida political scientist Aubrey Jewett said even some Republicans argue pushing this far could be playing with fire.

"The thought is that if there is a blue wave election, meaning Democrats really turn out in big numbers, President Trump's very unpopular, so maybe a lot of Republicans sit it out, the independents swing hard to the Democrats in this election, then Republicans might actually lose a number of seats, even though they have created them to try to become Republican," Jewett said.

Jewett pointed to recent polls, such as those from CNN and Fox News, that show President Donald Trump's approval rating hovering in the high 30s to low 40s. More Americans disapprove than approve overall.

GOP Chairman Evan Power said he's not worried about Democrats taking any more seats. "We're going to turn out every Republican voter possible," Power said.

"When we do that, we're going to win races across the board. I'm not worried about taking tough races," Power said.

In a letter to lawmakers, DeSantis said Florida's current maps are outdated and rely too much on race. He said Florida's growth should be reflected in the new districts.