Florida Supreme Court Lets GOP Map Stand for Midterms

The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday, in a 6-1 decision, cleared the way for Republican-drawn U.S. House districts to be used in this year’s midterm elections, denying voters’ request for a temporary injunction while their challenge proceeds through lower co

For prospective candidates in Florida, Wednesday’s decision landed like a door finally opening. The Florida Supreme Court allowed newly drawn Republican congressional districts to be used in the midterm elections after denying voters’ bid to pause the map.

In its 6-1 ruling, the court turned away the request for a temporary injunction without reaching the underlying merits of the case. The judges said they lacked jurisdiction to step in while the lawsuit plays out through lower courts.

The timing matters: candidates face a Friday deadline to qualify for the state’s Aug. 18 primaries. With the court declining to halt the new lines, campaigns can now plan around the districts Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law after a swift two-day special legislative session.

Republicans already hold 20 of Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats. The new voting districts—signed into law by DeSantis—could improve the GOP’s chances of winning four additional seats this year, a key prize for a party trying to protect a slim House majority.

Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier, who defended the districts in court, called the outcome “complete and total victory” in a social media post.

Opponents reacted with anger. saying the court’s refusal to stop the map only delays an argument they believe should never be allowed to proceed. Genesis Robinson. executive director of Equal Ground. which sued over the map. said the ruling amounted to “not only an assault on democracy. but an abdication of its duty to the people of Florida.”.

Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida, said the plan is “a pretty clear partisan gerrymander.” She added, “We’re going to do everything we can to prevent this map from impacting further, future elections.”

The conflict over the map isn’t limited to Florida. The new districts are part of a national GOP effort, in which several Republican-led states have moved to redraw congressional lines mid-decade. Typically, districts are redrawn after a census near the beginning of each decade.

Florida’s legislature approved the new House map on April 29, the same day the U.S. Supreme Court weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities while striking down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana. Since then, several Southern states have taken steps to try to eliminate minority districts that have elected Democrats.

DeSantis had called lawmakers into a special session before the high court’s ruling. His office said it had anticipated the eventual outcome. In defending the map, DeSantis’ office asserted that no racial data was used for the map presented to the Legislature.

The state’s map also faces a separate, race-related dispute. DeSantis’ office said one southeastern Florida district was redrawn to help elect a Black representative in an attempt to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act.

Florida’s rules on redistricting are not just about federal law. A constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2010 prohibits districts from being drawn to deny or diminish the ability of racial or language minorities to elect representatives of their choice. It also requires districts to be compact and, where feasible, to use existing political and geographic boundaries.

Republicans argue Florida’s limits are unconstitutional. In a memo to lawmakers. DeSantis’ General Counsel David Axelman asserted that the racial redistricting provision of Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment violates the U.S. Constitution. Axelman wrote that if one element is invalid, the entire 2010 amendment is void, including provisions barring partisan gerrymandering.

Attorneys for state officials made similar arguments to the Florida Supreme Court after a lower court judge last month declined to issue a preliminary injunction against the new map. They also argued it was too late in the election season to revert to the previous maps.

In a filing with the Florida Supreme Court. attorneys representing state officials said the new map was “cause for celebration” during America’s 250th anniversary. They wrote: “Perhaps for the first time in Florida’s history. the State has a truly colorblind map; a map that refuses to assault the dignity of men and women by color-coding them.”.

On the other side, attorneys who sued on behalf of voters said the districts were drawn with political favoritism. In documents filed with the state Supreme Court. they argued the new congressional districts are “among the most extreme partisan gerrymanders enacted in any state over the past half-century.”.

They also pointed to how much of the electorate was shifted. Under the new House map. attorney Chris Shenton. who represented Common Cause and other groups challenging the map. said 82% of voters in districts represented by Republicans remain in the same districts as under the previous map. He said just 41% of voters in districts represented by Democrats are kept in their same districts.

The Supreme Court’s decision didn’t settle those competing claims about intent or impact. The court denied the temporary injunction request without ruling on the merits.

Still, the justices’ opinions show sharply different views on how urgent the case is. The Supreme Court majority issued a brief written opinion, but two justices elaborated.

In a concurring opinion, Justice Adam Tanenbaum said the judicial system follows a deliberative process and that “there is no need for special treatment in this case.”

In dissent. Justice Jorge Labarga said he was frustrated that an appellate court hadn’t sent the case straight to the Supreme Court. He argued the state constitution “anticipates that some matters may be so urgent as to require an expedited path to this Court.” Labarga wrote that the upcoming 2026 congressional elections affecting the representation of millions of Floridians meet that threshold.

With Wednesday’s ruling, Florida’s new congressional districts move forward on schedule. Candidates now have their answer on timing—while the broader dispute over whether the map violates Florida’s constitutional limits continues through the courts below. setting up a long fight with consequences that could echo far beyond this election cycle.

Florida Supreme Court GOP redistricting Ron DeSantis James Uthmeier U.S. House districts mid-decade redistricting partisan gerrymandering Equal Ground Common Cause Florida Aug. 18 primaries