A.G. Gancarski
One more legal challenge remains for Corrine Brown in her attempt to stop the redistricting that would change Congressional District 5 forever.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Brown refiled her federal lawsuit on Tuesday, ahead of a deadline.
Brown’s position has been that the current snake-like district, running from the Jacksonville to Orlando areas, aggregates African-American communities of interest (“a distinct black population with a shared social and legal history”) that historically have been put together via redlining.
The new CD 5, running out west to Tallahassee, would put her against Al Lawson, a former State Senator and FAMU alum who has enjoyed electoral success out west.
Brown, who has said that North Florida has nothing in common with Jacksonville, would have to find a way to run west of Jacksonville, courting voters such comments seemingly dismissed.
Brown, who has commented on the disproportionate packing of BVAP prisoners in the new district, has contended that the map is one of “minority dilution,” and isn’t set up for an African-American Democrat to win. Lawson, conversely, deems it to be a minority-access district.
Brown’s suit cites Tallahassee NAACP President Dale Landry saying in 2014 that taking the district west was “not an option” and that the North-South configuration was a “much-needed voting rights remedy” linking communities of interest.
The suit also cites Janet Adkins‘ comments from the summer, in which she said that the East-West proposal offered the “perfect storm” for those wanting to defeat Brown.
The complete filing is here: Corrine Brown lawsuit
