Lee County voters divided over Gov. DeSantis' controversial redistricting map

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK)— Gov. Ron DeSantis' controversial redistricting proposal has passed through the Florida House and Senate in just 48 hours and is now awaiting the governor's final approval before passed into law.

The new map would have a large impact on Southwest Florida, especially Lee County. For the first time, the city limits of Fort Myers would be lumped in with Charlotte County and southern Sarasota County under District 17, which Rep. Greg Steube represents most of.

Jim Rosinus, chairman of the Lee County Democratic Party, said the redrawn map isn't going to become law without a fight. He told WINK News the map is unconstitutional and will be challenged in court once the governor signs the bill.

"It's pretty obvious that it's done for blatant political advantage," Rosinus said. "He was bragging about the extra Republican districts that he's creating. So that was my first reaction. It's illegal."

"If this is passed, as soon as it's passed, there will be lawsuits filed, because, as I said, it is blatantly unconstitutional, and it's obviously a power grab," Rosinus said.

Mercedes Price-Harry, chairwoman of the Lee County Republican Party, said the new map is long overdue, adding that the new map is an accurate reflection of the voting population and demographic in Florida.

"A lot of us conservatives have been really frustrated with the fact that the Biden administration swiped congressional seats from us knowing that we're the fastest growing state in the country, so we never had the opportunity to benefit from the census information of 2020," Mercedes said. "So I'm excited that DeSantis, much like Trump, is transformative in that he's willing to jump the gun and get this through so that we can go ahead and make things a little more balanced for not only Republicans, but for the citizens and the voting members of the State of Florida."

Voters are anxiously waiting to see how it plays out. Chef Roman Walker, a restaurant owner and Lee County voter, expressed concern about the broader implications of redistricting.

"You really got to get out there and do what you feel you need to. If you don't side with Governor DeSantis, do what you're supposed to do, and don't be lazy about it. If you do want to do it. Hey, give the support that he (DeSantis) needs. But at the same time, remember what this redistricting is going to really do, because it can affect schools, homes, even, you know, if you really think about it, the redistricting can mess up the housing situation as well for a lot of people who really need it," Walker said. 

For now, it's a waiting game to see what happens next.