In this episode: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis just got the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature to pass new Congressional district maps that were intentionally drawn to violate an anti-gerrymandering constitutional amendment that was approved by nearly two-thirds of Florida voters. It’s a scheme meant not only to give Donald Trump and national Republicans an edge in the 2026 midterms — but also to give DeSantis-appointed courts an opening to eliminate those anti-gerrymandering amendments completely. But the governor failed to get lawmakers to go along with plans to regulate artificial intelligence and weaken school vaccine rules, as Florida’s GOP leadership quickly settled back into a year-long cold war. Plus: DeSantis marks International Workers’ Day by signing the single most anti-worker piece of legislation of the 2026 session.
Show notes
Stories discussed in today’s show:
Florida lawmakers cede redistricting authority to executive power
Counsel for DeSantis tells lawmakers they can ignore Fair Districts Amendments in approving new map
Emails show right-wing group gave talking points to Florida GOP lawmaker on anti-union bill
Did Florida’s attorney general break the law during a Martin Luther King Day legal stunt?
DeSantis pushed lawmakers to purge Medicaid, records show
Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com
Listen to the show: Apple | Spotify
Watch the show: YouTube
