Florida Supreme Court Lets Republican-Drawn House Map Stand for Midterms

The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to block a new congressional map drawn by Gov. Ron DeSantis’s office, clearing the way for it to be used in this year’s midterm elections while the lawsuits against it continue, according to NBC News and WUSF. The vote was 6-1.

The court denied a temporary injunction without ruling on the merits of the challenge. The majority said it lacked jurisdiction while the case works its way through lower courts, WUSF reported. Justice Jorge Labarga, the lone dissenter, wrote that “the votes of even more Floridians are at stake,” NBC reported. All six justices in the majority were appointed by DeSantis, NBC noted, while Labarga was appointed by former Gov. Charlie Crist.

The Legislature approved the map on April 29, and DeSantis signed it after a two-day special session, according to WUSF. NBC described it as part of a wave of mid-decade redistricting efforts backed by President Trump in Republican-led states. The map is designed to help Republicans pick up as many as four additional seats, NBC reported. Republicans now hold 20 of Florida’s 28 House seats, and under the new lines 24 would lean Republican, according to NBC.

Challengers include Common Cause and Equal Ground. They argue that the map violates the Fair Districts amendment to the state constitution, which bars partisan gerrymandering and bars diminishing minorities’ ability to elect representatives of their choice. Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida, said, “We’re going to do everything we can to prevent this map from impacting further, future elections,” according to WUSF. Genesis Robinson, executive director of Equal Ground, criticized the court’s “failure to stop this brazen partisan power grab,” WUSF reported.

DeSantis posted on X that the court “has REJECTED the challenge to the state’s redistricting plan and new map,” which “assures that the recently enacted map will be in place for the 2026 election,” NBC reported. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier declared “complete and total victory” in a social media post, according to WUSF. NBC reported that the governor argues the map does not have to comply with the Fair Districts language protecting minority districts because it conflicts with federal law, and that he hopes the litigation leads the state Supreme Court to weaken those amendments.

The new lines reshuffle several incumbents, according to NBC. Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz’s 23rd District was drastically reconfigured, so he is running in the 25th, where Trump won by 9 points in 2024. Rep. Darren Soto’s Orlando-area 9th is now more conservative, and Trump won the redrawn version with 58 percent. Rep. Kathy Castor’s Tampa-area 14th leans more Republican, with Trump winning the new version with 54 percent. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is running in the 20th District, NBC said.

Candidate qualifying ends Friday, and the state’s primaries are on Aug. 18, WUSF reported. That leaves little time for any court to rule on the merits before voters cast ballots. The map’s legal fate remains undecided, and DeSantis has said he hopes the litigation weakens the Fair Districts amendments.