Vox
June 18, 2026
How Republican Redistricting in Florida Is Alienating Trump Voters
TL;DR
Florida Republicans' aggressive redistricting to dilute Latino voting power in Kissimmee is backfiring by alienating Republican Latino voters who feel disrespected by their own party.
Key Takeaways
- 1Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and state Republicans have redrawn congressional maps to weaken Latino voting influence in the Kissimmee area
- 2The redistricting directly threatens Democratic Congressman Darren Soto's reelection despite the district having many Trump voters
- 3Republican Latino voters, including Trump supporters and veterans like Ricardo Garcia, feel their party is not giving them proper representation or respect
- 4The strategy of diluting minority voting power is creating internal conflict within the Republican coalition in Florida
Notable Quotes
“I'm a Republican. I'm a veteran. I'm a Trump supporter, a Republican, a conservative that has lived in this district for the past 12 years. And now I don't have not even the choice.”
— Ricardo Garcia, Puerto Rican Republican organizer
Chapters
1. The Redistricting Battle in Kissimmee
Miles Bryan reports from Kissimmee, Florida, a city with a large and growing Latino population outside Orlando where many residents voted for Trump in 2024 but also reelected Democrat Congressman Darren Soto.
2. DeSantis's Strategic Map Redrawing
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and state Republicans have redrawn congressional maps specifically to water down the Latino vote in Kissimmee, likely forcing out Congressman Soto despite his current representation of the district.
3. Republican Latino Backlash
Republican Latino voters, including Puerto Rican organizer Ricardo Garcia who is a Trump supporter and veteran, express frustration that their own party is not giving their community the respect and representation they deserve.
Key People & Entities
- Ron DeSantis
- Governor of Florida leading the redistricting effort
- Darren Soto
- Democratic Congressman from the Kissimmee area facing removal through redistricting
- Ricardo Garcia
- Puerto Rican Republican organizer and Trump supporter voicing frustration with party strategy
- Miles Bryan
- Reporter and producer with Today Explained covering the redistricting story
Glossary
- Redistricting
- The process of redrawing congressional or electoral district boundaries, typically done after a census; can be used to dilute the voting power of particular demographic groups
- Vote dilution
- The practice of diluting or weakening the voting power of a particular group by redrawing district boundaries to spread their population across multiple districts