Over the weekend, Florida Senator Geraldine Thompson announced that she’s thinking about running for Congress in District 10.
In the release, Thompson said that she’s spoken with Allison Tant, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, about a possible run and why she may choose to head towards D.C.
“Since the Florida Senate maps will be redrawn, I may have to run in 2016. If I have to run, why not aim for the next level in my legislative service?”
She has a point. Once the maps are finalized, Thompson will likely have to run, again, for a seat she’s held since 2012. That would make three times that she’s had to run for a seat with a four-year term attached.
If she’s going to continue to campaign and file re-election papers every two-years anyway, why not go for a higher office?
To her credit, Senator Thompson has enjoyed strong support from the left since her days in the Florida House. She’ll likely receive that same system of support if she does mount a run for Congress. But it won’t be easy.
While the new map may potentially sway in her favor, Thompson’s run would likely create a bottleneck.
Rumors continue to swirl that former Orlando Police Chief Val Demings is eyeing another run for Congress. If that rings true, she might take another swing at Congressman Daniel Webster.
With the new maps, District 10 would be on the receiving end of a considerable amount of new constituents who lean left because Congresswoman Corrine Brown’s district would no longer take in Orange or Seminole County. Hence why District 10 may become so competitive.
So there is the chance that we may see Demings and Thompson battling for the chance to face Webster in the general election next year.
New proposed map released ahead of this week’s special session
Sounds fun, right?
Then there is Brown’s lawsuit. Last week the Congresswoman announced that she’s headed to court to attempt to block the attempts to redraw her district. Brown said that the new proposal would unfairly dilute the African-American voting population, which means that black voters wouldn’t have a voice in Congress.
While I sort of understand the thinking, runs by Thompson or Demings would undermine the merit of the lawsuit. There is a chance that Webster may win and Brown may lose. If so, then Brown’s lawsuit would have the advantage of hindsight.
But as of right now, Thompson’s release saying that she’s eyeing Congress places Brown’s lawsuit in a cage at a zoo.
It also exposes a problem. Under the Voting Rights Act, racial gerrymandering is allowed so that minority voters have a political voice. District 5, the one that’s gerrymandered to death so that Brown would have the ability to serve in the first place so that black voters would have a voice, would lose that status.
Without the district, and Brown’s positive commotion, what would Orlando’s minority representation in Congress mirror? She has been a lion for black issues in Congress and there aren’t any present candidates that can match her ferocity.
So would District 10 become the new District 5 if the map is passed?
I guess looking at the bright side of this, we may potentially have three very capable black women running for Congress at the same time. Just too bad we may end up with just one representing Orlando in Congress.
A special 12-day session called to redraw Congressional districts begins on Monday.
-JH
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