As previously reported, a special session has been called by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) to address Florida’s redistricting map. The Governor has been granted the opportunity to draft a redistricting map, which disappointed Democrats across the state. In response, state Senator Annette Taddeo (D), who’s challenging DeSantis for the top post in Florida, is calling on Democrats to “sit out the next special session.”
The special session is scheduled to take place next week, and while Republican lawmakers prepare to discuss the redistricting map provided by the Governor, Democrats might be preparing to sit this one out.
Taking to social media to discuss her disapproval of the special session, Taddeo shared that “if the Governor wants to make a real difference in Floridians’ lives and tackle the insurance rate crisis or the housing crisis, I’ll see him in Tallahassee. But, I’ll be damned if I’m showing up to kiss his ring and waste taxpayer money for an unconstituted map that erases Black and Brown voices from the electoral process.”
Taddeo added that “it’s too bad between the Senate President and the Speaker of the House they couldn’t put together one spine to stand up to DeSantis” before making the call to “the rest of my Democratic colleagues in the legislature to join me in the cojones caucus and boycott this upcoming special session.”
If the Governor wants to make a real difference in Floridians’ lives and tackle the insurance rate crisis or the housing crisis, I’ll see him in Tallahassee. https://t.co/Y3S5dcafLp
— Annette Taddeo (She/Her/Ella) (@Annette_Taddeo) April 13, 2022
A number of Democrats have echoed in her remarks, sharing their disapproval at the call of a special session.
Florida Rep. Charlie Crist (D), who's challenging Taddeo for the Democratic nomination, took to social media to comment that “DeSantis is prioritizing his national ambitions by trying to eliminate protected congressional districts & silencing the voices of minority voters.”
Governor DeSantis vetoed the last district boundaries that was approved by lawmakers, which resulted in both House Speaker Chris Sprowls (R) and Senate President Wilton Simpson (R) releasing a joint statement, announcing that they "are awaiting a communication from the governor's office with a map that he will support."
