link.  It is literally the most divisive issue in the politically charged process of redrawing the face of Florida politics: dividing minority groups among new congressional and legislative districts so that their representation is not diluted.  Central Florida will be ground zero for how lawmakers acknowledge a burgeoning Hispanic population without unconstitutionally diminishing the rights of blacks and other minorities.

More than half of the state’s growth in the past decade — 55 percent — came from an increase in the Hispanic population, with a majority coming along the Interstate 4 corridor. The Central Florida counties of Orange, Osceola, Volusia, Lake and Seminole led the state in population growth.  Of the 541,000 additional people in the region, 267,000 were Hispanics.

However, two potential problems.  First, while designing an Hispanic seat may be politically and legal advantageous, is there really a concentrated population of Hispanics in Central Florida to draw an additional majority minority seat that will actually perform for Hispanics?  Any proposed district with only 43% Hispanics would actually need to be enhanced to meet the standard.

“I think this is the most fair thing to do. Also, politically it will be a very smart move for the Republican Party,”  said Emilio Pérez, chairman of the Central Florida Redistricting Council Inc. in Orlando, which has submitted a 43 percent Hispanic congressional district that cuts diagonally from near Winter Haven through Osceola County and into northern Orange County.

Second, drawing a performing and workable Hispanic seat may slightly reduce some of the minority populations in now primarily Black seats.

African-American groups such as the NAACP and black lawmakers are leery that the emphasis on drawing new Hispanic districts could be detrimental to seats held by black members.