{"id":7121,"date":"2026-08-06T14:00:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T14:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=7121"},"modified":"2026-08-06T14:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T14:00:11","slug":"florida-democrat-switches-districts-after-desantis-redistricting-shake-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=7121","title":{"rendered":"Florida Democrat switches districts after DeSantis redistricting shake-up"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-14sl0e4\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"ecbb06f4-6f7f-43cf-b43b-872711dff942\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a woman with her hand on her hip \" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/bd8ae300130555674fd64ea57ce25810046f08c0\/0_0_5472_3648\/master\/5472.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"310\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">\u2018I would argue that most families are not staying up at night worried about the congressional lines across the state,\u2019 Pia Dandiya says.<\/span> Photograph: Pia Dandiya for Congress<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"ecbb06f4-6f7f-43cf-b43b-872711dff942\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">\u2018I would argue that most families are not staying up at night worried about the congressional lines across the state,\u2019 Pia Dandiya says.<\/span> Photograph: Pia Dandiya for Congress<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">Florida Democrat switches districts after DeSantis redistricting shake-up<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1xpojbf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1gm5ptv\">\n<p>Pia Dandiya, a first-time candidate, says voters care more about costs than district lines as she seeks a key open seat<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">What is a sanguine new congressional candidate to do when the district they thought they were running in gets torn apart by a governor\u2019s best efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/04\/florida-new-congressional-maps-desantis\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">gerrymander his state<\/a> at the president\u2019s behest?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">For Pia Dandiya, a first-time candidate for the Democratic party in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/florida\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Florida<\/a>, the answer was simple: pick up some maps, hit the road, and embrace the challenge of conquering a different part of the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Dandiya, a professional educator dipping her toe for the first time into the often tenebrous world of electoral politics, originally declared her candidacy for Florida\u2019s 21st congressional district, where she was mounting a long-shot campaign to unseat the Republican congressman Brian Mast, an army veteran who bills himself as \u201cFlorida\u2019s America first fighter\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">But then Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor of Florida and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Donald Trump<\/a> loyalist, intervened. In theconsequent Democratic <a href=\"https:\/\/floridapolitics.com\/archives\/797896-redistricting-shuffle-pia-dandiya-shifts-candidacy-to-open-cd-22-leaving-brian-mast-challenge-behind\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">shuffle of candidates<\/a>, she switched to Florida\u2019s newly configured 22nd \u2013 an open seat that Democrats see as one of their best opportunities to reclaim the House majority in November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cRedistricting, to me, represents what people just hate about politics, that it seems like a solution in search of a problem instead of actually solving the problems that are keeping people up at night,\u201d Dandiya said during a meeting over coffee in south Florida last month. \u201cI would argue that most families are not staying up at night worried about the congressional lines across the state, but they are staying up at night wondering how they\u2019re going to make ends meet, about whether we are handing our children a country, that we are leaving them in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"6c556f8c-a406-428f-8e6b-2a5480bc1e48\" class=\"element element-interactive element--inline element-inline dcr-1uqv7sk\" data-alt=\"Animated map showing the shifting Florida congressional district boundaries\" data-testid=\"interactive-element-Animated%20map%20showing%20the%20shifting%20Florida%20congressional%20district%20boundaries\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\">\n<div data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1x767ir\"><\/div>\n<p><a data-name=\"placeholder\" href=\"https:\/\/interactive.guim.co.uk\/uploader\/embed\/2026\/08\/archive-zip\/giv-32554T8OHe0cruRVt\/\" class=\"dcr-olkhl1\">Animated map showing the shifting Florida congressional district boundaries<\/a><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Florida\u2019s new congressional map was one front in an extraordinary national redistricting campaign, encouraged by Trump to shore up Republicans\u2019 narrow House majority. In Florida, DeSantis\u2019s unprecedented mid-decade \u201cgerrymander\u201d was expected to put as many as four additional House seats within Republicans\u2019 reach, giving them the edge in 24 of the state\u2019s 28 congressional districts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">With time ticking quickly towards the 18 August primary against attorney <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Kaysia_Earley\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Kaysia Earley<\/a>, the only other Democrat in the race, Dandiya has amassed a string of prominent endorsements. This month, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added her to its coveted <a href=\"https:\/\/dccc.org\/dccc-announces-five-new-candidates-to-coveted-2026-red-to-blue-program\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Red to Blue program<\/a>, signaling that national Democrats view her as a top recruit for the district.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Formerly enclosed almost entirely in Palm Beach county, district 22 was expanded by DeSantis\u2019s tinkering into a so-called Frankenstein district, stitching together an <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Florida%27s_22nd_Congressional_District_election,_2026#google_vignette\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">expansive, diverse swath<\/a> of south Florida from populated areas on the east and west coasts with sizable rural, agricultural areas in between.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The redrawn 22nd district, once a solid blue urban stronghold, now \u201cleans Republican\u201d, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/centerforpolitics.org\/crystalball\/2026-house\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Sabato\u2019s Crystal Ball<\/a> at the University of Virginia\u2019s Center for Politics, but in reality few are certain what to expect given its untested, divergent demographic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">For Dandiya, who was born in Palm Beach county, and was a White House fellow at the education department during the Biden administration, the sudden and unexpected switch could have been overwhelming, and at the very least presented a steep learning curve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">But the first-generation American, whose parents immigrated from India, and mother of a three-year-old son, said she was never going to back down from the challenge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cI\u2019m a teacher, so I love learning, and I love diving in head first,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cAnd all the places that are in my district are places that I have visited growing up and as an adult. I think of this the way that I think of having run a high school, it\u2019s similar to running for office, same mission, potentially different environment. And we\u2019re gonna give it our all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Giving it her all has resulted in long days and higher than expected mileage crisscrossing the state, and speaking to groups of voters and at community events in cities and counties ranging from heavily Democratic to fervently Republican.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">There is no mystery to it, she said. Only a desire to meet people where they are, and listen to their grievances, anxieties and priorities, which she said are common to all, wherever she has traveled.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"39272436-a1c4-4676-bcaf-df2d1c9aeb7b\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-2\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Two women and man with prescription bottle sitting down\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/bc84305189cc4933d6b984662b1d0ba4743383a3\/0_0_5472_3648\/master\/5472.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.66666666666663\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-2\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"39272436-a1c4-4676-bcaf-df2d1c9aeb7b\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Pia Dandiya speaking with voters.<\/span> Photograph: Pia Dandiya for Congress<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Dandiya transferred over from her original district with a substantial war chest, fundraising that has now risen to <a href=\"https:\/\/floridapolitics.com\/archives\/806398-pia-dandiya-crosses-2m-in-fundraising-with-reported-515k-q2-haul-for-cd-22\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">more than $2m<\/a>, and carries the endorsement of a significant number of Florida Democratic heavyweights, including the state chair, Nikki Fried, US congresswoman Lois Frankel and a host of state representatives and senators.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">She has also <a href=\"https:\/\/flaflcio.org\/florida-afl-cio-releases-first-slate-of-candidate-endorsements-for-labor-2026\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">won the backing<\/a> of Florida AFL-CIO, the state\u2019s largest public labor union, and <a href=\"https:\/\/emilyslist.org\/candidate\/pia-dandiya\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Emily\u2019s List<\/a>, the influential advocacy group supporting Democratic pro-choice women for elected office.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cWith her background in education, policy, and innovation, she is ready to bring a new kind of leadership to Washington,\u201d Emily\u2019s List said in its endorsement. \u201cOne focused on progress, opportunity and putting people over politics.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Dandiya said she was heartened by the reception she has received in places that only two months ago she never envisaged visiting, at least not as a congressional candidate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThe way folks have come out of the woodwork to get excited about being involved in the campaign, figuring out how they can help using their organizing brains and their connecting brains, has just been truly encouraging,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cI\u2019ve become very convinced on the campaign trail that most families want the same things for their lives, they want stability for my generation, they want safety and dignity for my parents\u2019 generation, and they want a world of opportunity for my three-year-old son\u2019s generation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThat rings true in district 22 as much as it does in district 21. What is on south Florida families\u2019 minds, and across the state of Florida, I should say, is very similar. What we are experiencing is universal, it\u2019s not Democratic, it\u2019s not independent, it\u2019s not Republican, it\u2019s what all of us are experiencing, and I think that we need leaders who are willing to fight on the frontlines to put these issues front and center.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cWe\u2019re on this big adventure together, and we\u2019re going to make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/florida\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Florida<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-midterm-elections-2026\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US midterm elections 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/democrats\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Democrats<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-politics\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Florida%20Democrat%20switches%20districts%20after%20DeSantis%20redistricting%20shake-up&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/aug\/06\/priya-dandiya-florida-redistricting-democrat?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Faug%2F06%2Fpriya-dandiya-florida-redistricting-democrat&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/aug\/06\/priya-dandiya-florida-redistricting-democrat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1kq7f60\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2018I would argue that most families are not staying up at night worried about the congressional lines across<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":7123,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7121"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7124,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7121\/revisions\/7124"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}