Governor Ron DeSantis says he’s accepting Hakeem Jeffries’ challenge to “F around and find out” as tensions rise over Florida’s redistricting plans. Jeffries had cautioned against what he called a potential “DeSantis dummy-mander,” with both parties intensifying efforts to reshape congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
“Please. Be my guest. I will pay for you to come down to Florida to campaign,” Governor Ron DeSantis said. “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 everywhere around this state,” Fox News reports.
Hakeem Jeffries campaigning in Florida would be an early Christmas gift for Republicans in Florida.
Happy to roll out the red carpet! https://t.co/bAl6hZfQcS
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) April 22, 2026
The remarks by Ron DeSantis came after Hakeem Jeffries doubled down earlier in the week talking to Capital Hill reporters, saying: “Our message to Florida Republicans is F around and find out. If they go down the road of a DeSantis dummy-mander … the electoral tide is turning in Florida,” referencing the proposed redistricting push.
In a statement circulated Tuesday by Punchbowl News, Hakeem Jeffries singled out eight current Florida House Republicans whose districts Democrats plan to aggressively contest in the midterms if the state moves forward with new maps, The Hill reports.
“We are prepared to take them all on, and we are prepared to win,” the New York Democrat wrote. “Maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time.”
The exchange between Governor Ron DeSantis and Hakeem Jeffries highlights how both Republicans and Democrats are increasingly leaning into redistricting as a key tactic in the battle for control of the U.S. House in 2026. After Donald Trump urged GOP lawmakers to strengthen their slim 217-213 majority by targeting Democratic-held seats in Texas, several states—including North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, New York, and Georgia—have begun pursuing similar strategies.
In Virginia, voters recently backed a redistricting push led by Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, aimed at expanding her party’s current 6-5 edge into a 10-1 advantage by extending Republican-leaning districts into Democratic areas.
Florida seems likely to be next. Republicans control the governor’s mansion and statehouse, and eight Democratic congressional districts could be vulnerable. So Ron DeSantis has ordered a special session on redistricting.
JEFFRIES STATEMENT, with a warning for Florida.
“If Florida Republicans proceed with this illegal scheme, they will only create more prime pick-up opportunities for Democrats, just as they did with Trump’s dummymander in Texas. We will aggressively target for defeat Mario… pic.twitter.com/hxxIeXOSaW
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) April 22, 2026
“Today, I announced that I will be convening a special session of the Legislature focused on redistricting to ensure that Florida’s congressional maps accurately reflect the population of our state,” DeSantis said in a January statement, pointing to shifting demographics.
The Florida Constitution bans redistricting lines drawn “with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or an incumbent.” Democrats say their own efforts to redraw district lines are justified retaliation for Republicans’ efforts. Democrats also caution Republicans against going too far and eroding their advantage in traditionally safe districts.
Jeffries suggested that risk may already be emerging in Texas and could soon apply to Florida as well. “The Florida Republicans are going to find themselves in the same situation as Texas Republicans who are on the run right now,” Jeffries said. “Under no circumstances are Texas Republicans picking up five seats. They’ll be fortunate if they get two or three, while in California, we are going to get all five. The Republicans are dumbly meandering their way into the minority before a single vote is cast.”
Florida lawmakers have not yet revealed what a potential redistricting proposal in the state might look like. Currently, Republicans control 20 of Florida’s 28 congressional seats.
