Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has reignited the debate over the 2020 census, proposing a redistricting effort in Florida ahead of the 2026 legislative elections. During an event in Tampa on Wednesday, he argued that the state's population growth was not accurately captured, suggesting that Florida deserves greater representation in Congress. His statements were reported by Florida Politics, which covered the details of his appearance at the Hillsborough Academy of Math and Science.
DeSantis expressed concern over what he described as "malapportionment"—a disproportion in representation—stemming from a census count that was halted in April 2020 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, some members of the Trump administration indicated that a proper census would have resulted in Florida gaining an additional three to five seats in the House of Representatives. Although DeSantis did not provide any technical analysis to support this claim, he emphasized that his administration is exploring legal and legislative methods to push for district redistribution, potentially bypassing the need for a new census. He welcomed any initiatives by the state Congress in this direction.
The governor also accused "blue states"—those predominantly Democratic—of artificially inflating their population numbers by including undocumented immigrants in the census count, an act he deemed "unconstitutional." He firmly stated, "I was not going to use taxpayer money for that," referencing his refusal to support similar processes in Florida.
In another part of his speech, DeSantis suggested that this discrepancy in national representation might have skewed the balance of the Electoral College in 2024. He speculated that if the alleged error hadn't been corrected, Vice President Kamala Harris could have won with just three states from the "Rust Belt." He argued that such an outcome would have led to a "constitutional crisis" because "with an accurate census, Trump would have won regardless, even losing those states."
DeSantis also mentioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who, according to the governor, agrees that "the census was flawed" and that Florida was shortchanged in its allotment of congressional seats.
The remarks come as Texas proceeds with a redistricting plan favoring Republicans, while California and New York are considering similar measures to safeguard their political interests. DeSantis’ proposals could spark institutional and political conflict by breaking from the traditional ten-year census cycle. If successful, Florida might become the first state to redraw districts without waiting for the 2030 census, setting a significant precedent in the nationwide struggle for legislative control.
Implications of Census Discrepancies on U.S. Politics
What claims has Ron DeSantis made about the 2020 census?
Ron DeSantis has claimed that the 2020 census undercounted Florida's population growth, leading to fewer congressional seats than the state should have received. He also accused Democratic states of inflating their census numbers by including undocumented immigrants.
How does DeSantis believe the census affected the Electoral College?
DeSantis suggested that the census discrepancies might have altered the Electoral College's balance, potentially allowing Kamala Harris to win the presidency with only three states from the Rust Belt, which he argues could have triggered a constitutional crisis.
What actions is Florida considering in response to the census issue?
Florida is exploring legal and legislative options to initiate a redistricting process without waiting for the 2030 census. This could make Florida the first state to redraw districts independently of the decennial census cycle.