Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) fired back at House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday, daring him to bring his political fight to the Sunshine State. The challenge came after Jeffries warned Florida Republicans that their aggressive redistricting plans would trigger a Democratic counteroffensive, coining the phrase “F around and find out.”
“I will pay for you to come down to Florida and campaign,” DeSantis said during a press conference. “I’ll put you up in the Florida governor’s mansion. We’ll take you fishing. We’ll do all this stuff.” The governor added that Jeffries’ presence would only help Republicans: “There’s nothing that could be better for Republicans in Florida than to see Jeffries everywhere around this state. Voters will not like what they see.”
The exchange marks the latest escalation in a national redistricting battle that has intensified ahead of the midterm elections. DeSantis has called a special session of the Florida Legislature next week to push through new GOP-friendly congressional maps, a move that has drawn criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans who argue it overreaches.
Jeffries, for his part, has labeled the effort a “dummymander,” arguing that the maps could backfire on the GOP. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, he vowed that Democrats would target eight specific Florida House Republicans in the midterms. “We are prepared to take them all on, and we are prepared to win,” Jeffries said. “Maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time.”
The feud comes amid a broader national push by former President Donald Trump and GOP leaders in several states to redraw congressional districts to favor Republican candidates. Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, and Utah have all approved GOP-drawn maps this cycle. Democrats have responded with their own aggressive moves, including new maps in California that could net the party up to five additional seats.
Democrats also scored a victory in Virginia’s Tuesday election, where voters narrowly approved a redistricting referendum that could swing four seats in their favor in November. The outcome has galvanized Democratic strategists, who see an opportunity to flip the House. As Jeffries vowed to wage ‘maximum warfare’ on Florida Republicans, the party sees Virginia as a template for success.
DeSantis’s invitation to Jeffries is part of a broader strategy to rally GOP voters around the redistricting push. However, the effort has exposed internal rifts within the Florida GOP, with some party members questioning the timing and scope of the special session. Critics argue that the late-cycle gamble could backfire by overplaying Republican hands in a state that has trended red in recent years.
As the redistricting war heats up, both parties are bracing for a high-stakes midterm cycle. The outcome in Florida could determine control of the House, and neither side shows signs of backing down. For now, Jeffries has not responded to DeSantis’s invitation, but the battle lines are drawn.
