Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., defended Florida’s newly drawn congressional map Tuesday, stating that Democrats exhibit “great hypocrisy” when they protest redistricting efforts in Republican-leaning states.
In an interview, Steube criticized legal challenges from Democrats seeking to block the GOP-backed redistricting plan ahead of November elections. He specifically named House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, saying: “The hypocrisy is just absolutely amazing.”
Steube argued that while Democrats claim their actions in states like Virginia constitute democracy, Florida’s map drawing process is illegal. He noted that Florida Democrats recently filed suit to stop the plan, alleging it unfairly advantages Republicans.
In response, Steube countered that Democrat-led states such as New York and California have engaged in aggressive gerrymandering for decades. He also referenced recent Supreme Court rulings scrutinizing race-based districting, stating that states now bear a responsibility to redraw maps that comply with constitutional standards.
“These states have to move forward with redistricting to ensure they don’t have unconstitutional districts,” Steube said.
Steube highlighted Florida’s rapid population growth as a key driver of the new maps. According to the congressman, roughly 1,100 people per day are moving into the state — many of them Republicans. “If you look at the Republican-to-Democrat numbers, we’ve had an exorbitant number of Republicans move into the state,” he said, predicting that the new districts could yield a net gain of four GOP seats if turnout remains strong.
Additionally, Steube emphasized economic messaging ahead of the midterms, particularly tax relief measures passed under Republican leadership. He pointed to a $6,000 Social Security tax rebate that he claims has made a meaningful difference for seniors in his district, one of the oldest in the nation. “Most of these people are on fixed incomes. Six thousand dollars is a lot of money,” he added.
Steube also raised national security concerns regarding foreign ownership of U.S. farmland, backing an amendment to the farm bill that would block countries such as China, Russia, and Iran from purchasing land near sensitive sites. “It’s insane to me that this has gone on for so long,” he said, warning that the Chinese Communist Party could use such land to surveil U.S. military assets.
With legal battles looming and the midterm elections approaching, Steube signaled confidence that Republicans can capitalize on favorable trends — if they stay focused on turnout and messaging.
