House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tore into Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, warning the governor’s aggressive push to redraw congressional maps could backfire and cost Republicans seats in their own backyard.
Jeffries didn’t hold back when asked about DeSantis’ latest maneuver, branding him a “lame duck” and suggesting his own party has grown weary of his leadership.
“Ron DeSantis is putting his own congressional delegation in jeopardy, which probably shouldn’t be surprising because all of them, as I understand it, can’t stand the charismatically challenged lame-duck governor of Florida,” Jeffries said during a Fox News interview.
The jab came as Florida became the next battleground in a broader redistricting fight, with both parties scrambling to redraw maps ahead of the 2026 midterms in hopes of locking in an advantage.
HAKEEM JEFFRIES: "Ron DeSantis is putting his own congressional delegation in jeopardy."
"All of them, as I understand it, can't stand the charismatically challenged, lame-duck governor of Florida." pic.twitter.com/xl6hHxQJee
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 24, 2026
At the center of the dispute is DeSantis’ plan to call a special legislative session aimed at approving new GOP-friendly districts.
The move has drawn immediate pushback from Democrats, who argue the strategy could trigger unintended consequences for Republicans.
Jeffries framed the effort as a political gamble, warning it could mirror similar efforts elsewhere that failed to deliver the expected gains.
“Our message to Florida Republicans is F around and find out,” Jeffries said earlier this week. “If they go down the road of a DeSantis dummymander, the Florida Republicans are gonna find themselves in the same situation as Texas Republicans, who are on the run right now.”
Rather than positioning Democrats on defense, Jeffries said the party is actively targeting Florida as a pickup opportunity, pointing to a major financial push already underway.
He said House Majority PAC has committed $20 million toward races in the state, part of a broader $272 million nationwide investment focused on television advertising in key markets.
🎓Help millions think clearly and communicate with power through Hillsdale College’s free “Classical Logic and Rhetoric course! 🎓 Expand education for liberty and equip the next generation ➡️➡️➡️ TAKE THE FREE COURSE NOW!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
That spending includes more than $9 million directed toward Miami, roughly $6.6 million for Tampa, and nearly $4 million in the Orlando area, signaling what Democrats describe as an offensive strategy.
“The $20 million investment in Florida,” Jeffries remarked, “is making it clear that we’re on offense.”
He added that the effort should be viewed as a direct response to DeSantis’ approach.
“That’s our Democratic gift to Ron DeSantis and the Florida Republicans, who he is putting in jeopardy,” he said.
DeSantis, for his part, leaned into the confrontation, brushing off Jeffries’ warning and instead inviting him to campaign in Florida.
Speaking to reporters at a news conference in Kissimmee, the governor mocked Jeffries’ comments and suggested his presence in the state would benefit Republicans.
“This guy, Jeffries, popping off in Washington about Florida,” DeSantis said. “He wants to be Speaker of the House, and he’s kind of like—more liberal than Pelosi and all this other stuff from New York City.”
He then issued a tongue-in-cheek invitation. “Please. Be my guest. I will pay for you to come down to Florida to campaign,” DeSantis jeered. “I’ll put you up in the Florida governor’s mansion. We will take you fishing.”
“There’s nothing that could be better for Republicans in Florida than to see Jeffries, Hakeem Jeffries, everywhere around this state,” he added.
The back-and-forth comes amid a broader national reshaping of congressional maps, with both parties increasingly willing to redraw districts outside of the traditional post-census timeline.
Jeffries tied Florida’s situation to a chain reaction that began earlier this year, when multiple states moved to adjust their maps in pursuit of partisan advantage.
He argued that those efforts have not produced the sweeping gains Republicans expected.
“Under no circumstances are Texas Republicans picking up five seats. They’ll be fortunate if they get two or three,” Jeffries said. “While in California, we are going to get all five.”
He also warned that political momentum may be shifting. “The electoral tide is turning in Florida,” Jeffries said.
As part of that strategy, Jeffries outlined a list of Republican-held seats Democrats plan to target if Florida proceeds with new district lines.
He identified multiple incumbents, including Mario Díaz-Balart, Maria Elvira Salazar, Carlos Giménez, Kat Cammack, Anna Paulina Luna, Laurel Lee, Cory Mills and Brian Mast, as potential vulnerabilities.
“We are prepared to take them all on, and we are prepared to win,” Jeffries said in a statement. “Maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time.”
Republicans currently hold 20 of Florida’s 28 congressional seats, giving them a clear advantage heading into the next election cycle. But both parties are now treating the state as a key battleground in the fight for House control.
The redistricting push has been fueled in part by pressure from President Donald Trump, who has encouraged GOP-led states to revisit their maps in an effort to secure additional seats.
States including Texas, North Carolina, Missouri and Utah have already moved forward with similar efforts, signaling a broader shift toward mid-decade redistricting strategies.
Democrats have responded with moves of their own, including new maps in California that could yield additional seats and a closely watched referendum in Virginia that initially appeared to expand Democratic advantages before being blocked by a judge.
House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled support for Florida’s approach when asked whether the state should move ahead with redistricting before the midterms.
“Florida has the right and the intention to do it. And my view is that they should,” Johnson said.
Florida lawmakers have yet to release specific details about what the proposed congressional map will look like, leaving both parties preparing for a fight over lines that have not yet been drawn.
Cant deal with Reality right Jeffries