MADISON – A small, historically Black city an hour east of Tallahassee is in the crosshairs of a controversial redistricting plan by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The plan would radically redraw the state’s 5th congressional district and could cost the Black Democrat who represents it his seat in Congress.
Madison is a rural community with a population of about 3,000 people, almost two-thirds of whom are Black. Its congressman, Al Lawson, is a Democratic former longtime state lawmaker who won his House seat in 2016 and is one of five Black members of Congress from Florida.
If DeSantis’ redistricting plan were approved, Lawson wouldn’t represent Madison anymore. He could be vulnerable to losing his next election in the new mostly Republican and white district that would be created.
