Weatherford asks for Democratic redistricting votes, pledges not to mow over them

TALLAHASSEE — House Redistricting Chairman Will Weatherford asked minority-party Democrats for their votes Wednesday, and said it was “not part of the plan” to roll over their objections when the re-drawn political maps hit the House floor. Weatherford’s committee will workshop three alternatives for House and congressional plans this Friday, all of which would appear to create more competitive Democratic seats but maintain a GOP-tilt to the statewide playing field. The committee won’t cast votes until Jan. 27, and House floor votes are planned a week later. Senate Republican leaders on Wednesday used their two-thirds majority to steamroll Democrats on its maps, forcing final floor votes instead of the normal procedure of questioning and amending a bill and then waiting at least one day to cast final votes. At a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus Wednesday, lawmakers wanted to know from Weatherford if they could expect the same treatment. “It seemed procedurally, the majority

party surprised the minority party,” asked Rep. Richard Steinberg , D-Miami Beach. “Do you expect that to happen in the House as well?” “The only way I anticipate us rolling to third reading would be if that’s what you guys wanted to do,” the Wesley Chapel Republican replied. “If there was an agreement between the two parties and our leaders we would, but that is not part of the plan.” Weatherford also asked the Democrats to consider voting for the House districts as a showing of support for the process that produced them. “I would ask the caucus to strongly consider supporting the House map,” he said. “I understand some of you might not like everything about it. Ican assure you there are a lot of members of my caucus who do not like everything about it.”

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Weatherford asks for Democratic redistricting votes, pledges not to mow over them

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