A judge appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis has upheld redrawn congressional maps that could give Republicans four extra seats in Congress this election cycle.
Circuit Judge Joshua Hawkes of Tallahassee sided with state officials in a May 26 order, weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly signed the map in early May.
“The election machinery of the state is already underway,” Hawkes said. “The primary is less than three months away, and the general less than six months. The public interest weighs more in favor of certainty than a haphazard judicial mandate of discarded maps.”
The decision, which the plaintiffs quickly said they would appeal, further increases the upper hand for Republicans seeking to boost their congressional power in an election year they traditionally would have faced losses in.
In the lawsuit, opponents of the new maps said the redrawn congressional boundaries are an unconstitutional gerrymander running afoul of the state’s constitution.
In 2010, Florida voters amended that constitution by approving what are called Fair Districts amendments, which prohibit congressional or legislative redistricting to favor or disfavor a political party.
Hawkes’ order could hand Florida Republicans a greater opportunity in deepening the state’s GOP dominance in Congress.
It also gives Republicans a lead, for now, in a national brawl over mid-decade redistricting, in which both Democrats and Republicans are looking to widen the gap in congressional majorities.
DeSantis reacted to the news on X: “Let’s roll!” He’s argued that the new maps were needed to respond to population shifts in Florida.
The state argued in a two-hour hearing on May 15 that Fair Districts was unconstitutional, since rulings from the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that racial protections conflicted with the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause.
“The Court will note at this preliminary stage, and especially with the way the Motions are resolved herein, the question of the (amendment’s) continued constitutional viability is premature,” Hawkes wrote.
Also, the map’s opponents pointed to a staff member and lawyer for the governor acknowledging the use of partisan data to draw congressional lines, which has been a chief point of contention. Republicans currently hold 20 of Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats, and the new map could give control to as many as 24 seats.
Hawkes opined: “To the extent the Court has to balance Florida’s prohibition of improper partisan intent and the (U.S.) Constitution’s Equal Protection guarantees, it seems clear that the potential partisan intent in the 2026 map is the lesser of the two evils.”
In particular, these maps could affect Tampa Bay, Orlando and South Florida, since opponents say it could eliminate Democratic seats. In Florida, about 41% of registered voters are Republican, compared to about 30% registered Democrats and roughly 28% with minor or no party affiliation.
Soon after the governor signed the maps, three legal challenges arose.
The first was filed by the Equal Ground Education Fund, just hours after the governor’s signature. The second lawsuit was filed by the UCLA Voting Rights Project and the Campaign Legal Center, and another lawsuit was filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) and Democracy Defenders Fund.
They were consolidated under Hawkes.
Chad Dunn, legal director of the UCLA Voting Rights Project, said Hawkes’ position “is against the evidence that this map was drawn for partisan purposes and we disagree with the trial court’s decision on the law.
“We plan to appeal.”
This is a developing news story. Check back later for more.
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@usatodayco.com. On X: @stephanymatat.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Judge upholds Florida congressional map changes
Reporting by Stephany Matat, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
