Welcome to

New Census data shows Florida’s population has grown by 17.6 percent to 18 point eight million over the last ten years. The growth will give Florida 2 more seats in Congress starting in 2012, and two more electoral votes in deciding who is elected President. The political battle now will be deciding where those seats are drawn.

Florida will soon have 27 seats in the US Congress, up two at the expense of state’s like New York. Add our two US Senators and the state now has 29 electoral votes in deciding who will be President.

In a news release and on camera, both parties called the additions good news for the state. Eric Jotkoff from the Florida Democratic Party was thrilled  “We gain representation in Congress, we gain more clout.”

Each congressperson will now represent an average of 710 thousand people…up from 646 thousand a decade ago…and up from just 34 thousand when the nation was formed.

Nationally the trend moves more Congressional power south, which is expected to help Republicans. But here in Florida, Democrats say the recent passage of Amendments 5 and 6, requiring fair districts, could help democrats.

“Floridians look forward to districts that are drawn fairly and reflect the diversity of our great state” says Democratic Party Spokesman Eric Jotkoff “ rather than the gerrymandered partisan districts that we currently have”.

The addition of two seats will ignite political ambition. 10 years ago, then House Speaker Tom Feeney wanted one of the two new seats drawn for him in Central Florida. It was.

The two new seats this time around are also expected to be drawn in Central Florida. State lawmakers begin the drawing process in 2010.  Florida remains the fourth most populous state…but only California and Texas will have more representatives in Congress.

The new census shows New York State has slightly more people than Florida, but the numbers are so close both New York and Florida will have the same number of Congressional districts.