Rep. Neal Dunn, a 69-year-old surgeon who came into Congress the aforesaid twelvemonth arsenic Rep. Al Lawson, had maintained that helium was a “better fit” for the district. | Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Photo
TAMPA, Fla. — Rep. Al Lawson, a northbound Florida Democrat whose territory was dismantled this twelvemonth astatine the urging of Gov. Ron DeSantis, connected Tuesday mislaid his bid to stay successful Congress aft helium was defeated by Republican Rep. Neal Dunn.
Lawson’s nonaccomplishment was 1 successful a bid of defeats for Florida Democrats crossed the authorities and whitethorn awesome that the authorities is present firmly a reddish state.
The conflict betwixt Dunn and Lawson was the lone incumbent-on-incumbent matchup successful Florida.
The nonaccomplishment could extremity the governmental vocation of the 74-year-old Lawson, which spans decades and stretched backmost to a clip erstwhile Democrats were successful steadfast power of the state. He opted to situation Dunn adjacent though the once-a-decade redistricting process placed him successful a spot that went for President Donald Trump implicit Joe Biden by 11 points successful 2020.
Dunn, a 69-year-old surgeon who came into Congress the aforesaid twelvemonth arsenic Lawson, had maintained that helium was a “better fit” for the territory and hammered Lawson with ads that tied him to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Biden.
Dunn outraised Lawson much than two-to-one portion Lawson’s pleas for assistance were rebuffed by nationalist Democrats scrambling to cling connected to their bulk successful the House.
Lawson archetypal ran for Congress successful 2016 aft the authorities Supreme Court enactment successful spot a number entree territory that stretched from conscionable westbound of Tallahassee to Jacksonville. Florida picked up an other legislature spot during reapportionment and the GOP-controlled Legislature initially drew up a representation that would person mostly kept Lawson’s spot intact.
But DeSantis vetoed the map, yet passed by authorities legislators, and alternatively pushed done 1 his bureau drew up that redistributed astir 360,000 Black voters successful Lawson’s territory into 4 antithetic districts. Lawson’s hometown of Tallahassee — and each of Democratic heavy Leon County — was placed successful Dunn’s district.
The dismantling of Lawson’s spot was portion of a revamp that is expected to fto Republicans prime up arsenic galore arsenic 4 further seats successful Congress. Other changes pushed by the politician turned 2 different seats held by Democrats into GOP-leaning ones.
Lawson blasted DeSantis implicit the redistricting changes and called it “unlawful and unconstitutional.”
Civil rights and voting rights groups person challenged the state’s existent legislature representation but the litigation presently nether mode successful some national and authorities tribunal is not expected to beryllium resolved until sometime successful 2023.
Despite the likelihood against him, Lawson pushed up with a run contending helium “still had it successful his blood.”
He tried to entreaty to northbound Florida voters by stressing his quality to triumph national backing for hometown projects arsenic good arsenic hitting Dunn implicit his ballot successful absorption to a caller instrumentality that expands wellness attraction benefits for veterans.
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