'Central Florida gets torn apart' by new map, Florida Congressman Darren Soto says

WESH 2: 'Central Florida gets torn apart' by new map, Florida Congressman Darren Soto says

This article was written by Greg Fox and published by WESH 2 on May 1, 2026

CENTRAL FLORIDA, USA — Florida’s Republican-led Legislature approved a controversial Congressional redistricting map Wednesday, setting the stage for legal battles and political clashes as Gov. Ron DeSantis prepares to sign it into law.

The map, drawn by DeSantis’s policy analyst, has sparked criticism for its impact on Central Florida. Democratic Congressman Darren Soto, who represents Kissimmee, said the map dismantles his once-compact District 9, which previously included Osceola and parts of Orange and Polk counties. Under the new map, District 9 stretches across seven counties.

“Central Florida gets torn apart,” Soto said during an interview with WESH 2 News on Friday. He accused DeSantis and Republican lawmakers of violating the 2010 Fair Districts Amendments, approved by voters, by intentionally making a partisan move to add four Republican seats in Congress.

Soto noted that his district shifts from a plus-4 Democratic voter registration advantage under the 2022 map to a plus-6 Republican advantage under the newly approved map. He expressed hope that the courts would reject the map, saying, “It’s splitting apart the metro areas that fuel most of the growth and the jobs for Florida. So I’m hopeful that the Supreme Court will do the right thing.”

Despite the changes, District 9 remains nearly a majority-minority district, with 36% Latino voters and a diverse mix of African American and South Asian voters, making up 60% of the district as drawn in 2022.

Republican State Rep. Paula Stark, who represents Kissimmee, defended the new map. Speaking to WESH 2 News virtually while attending a rally with former President Donald Trump in The Villages, Stark said, “I think it’s going to hold. I think it’s going to be fine. I don’t think anyone should like lose sleep over it.”

Stark pointed to her own electoral success in a district with a Democratic voter registration advantage.

“My district is a ‘D’ plus-20, and I’ve now been able to get into office twice,” she said.

The window for legal challenges to the new map is narrow, as election supervisors need court rulings by early August to print ballots. If the map withstands legal scrutiny, Soto faces a tough battle to retain his seat in District 9.

“It’s winnable. It’s just going to be a lot of hard work and, you know, we either have to beat them in court or at the ballot box,” Soto said.

DeSantis has yet to request the transmission of the redistricting bill to his office, a necessary step before he can sign it into law.

When asked Thursday morning when he would sign the bill, DeSantis responded, “As soon as I get it.”

However, a spokesperson for the Florida House Speaker’s office told WESH 2 News that the governor’s office had not requested the bill as of Thursday night. Democrats believe DeSantis may be delaying the process, as lawsuits cannot be filed until the bill becomes law.

Qualifying for Congressional races in Florida has been moved from April to the week of June 8.