The following is a guest post from political consultant Anthony Pedicini, a Republican strategist who has worked on dozens of legislative campaigns throughout Florida.
The people of Florida have spoken. The directive was given. Fair Districts Amendments 5 and 6 passed and directed the Florida Legislature to redraw congressional and legislative districts that neither favor or disfavor any incumbent or political party, that protect the voting rights of minorities and draw districts that are compact and where feasible follow political and geographic boundaries.
Proof that legislators followed both the spirit and letter of the law are abundant all across Florida. However, the Tampa Bay Times refuses to point those obvious examples out to their readership. The notion that the newly drawn maps did not comply with spirit and the letter of the new amendments is unfair.