Calls growing for Florida congressional reps to abandon house ahead of potential redistricting

Congress faces rare expulsions over scandals

Representitives are facing calls for expulsions over scandals. FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Calls are growing for two members of Congress to resign just days after two other members, one from each party, resigned amidst accusations of wrongdoing.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-San Francisco) and Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-Uvalde) resigned after they were accused of sexual impropriety.

Now, calls are growing for Reps. Cory Mills (R-Lake Mary) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Tamarac) to resign as they face their own accusations of wrongdoing, which could scramble political calculations ahead of a potential re-drawing of Florida's congressional map by state lawmakers.

What they're saying:

During an appearance on Fox News Monday night, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-St. Petersburg), said Congress should no longer tolerate members who take advantage of women. 

"The fact is that some of these people get up there, and they think that they're untouchable. And you can't treat people like this," said Luna. "I think that there's a lot of kind of back-scratching taking place on the Hill in general, because it's happening within our own party as well."

If those two members were to leave office or be removed with an expulsion vote, it could shuffle the deck chairs of Florida politics significantly.

That's especially true if the state redistricts its seats and the representation changes ahead of the 2026 elections.

"It's terrible for American democracy whenever we have congressional representatives misbehaving, but at least thankfully, in this case, we have one from each side," said Dr. Aubrey Jewett of UCF. "So it made it easier to deal with because, yeah, right now, the margin is so slim. It's 217 to 214."

What's next:

Jewett says only six members of congress have ever been expelled.

Both McCormick and Mills have denied any wrongdoing and have vowed to be vindicated either at trial or as part of the house ethics investigation.