Florida Supreme Court Upholds DeSantis-Backed Congressional Map

The Florida Supreme Court has upheld the state’s congressional redistricting map, crafted under the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis, ruling it does not violate constitutional protections against racial discrimination. The decision secures current district lines through the 2026 midterms and the rest of the decade.

The lawsuit, led by the Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, argued the new map unlawfully diminished Black voting power by dismantling the North Florida district once represented by Black Democrat Al Lawson. But in a 5-1 decision, the court concluded the plaintiffs failed to prove that preserving Lawson’s former district was legally required.

Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz wrote the majority opinion, asserting that the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause takes precedence over Florida’s “Fair Districts” provision barring reductions in minority voting strength. “The plaintiffs did not meet their burden to prove the invalidity of the Enacted Plan,” Muñiz wrote.

Plaintiffs expressed outrage at the decision. Genesis Robinson, Executive Director of Equal Ground, called it “a dark day in the history of Florida,” claiming the ruling ignores the rights of Black voters and the state constitution. “At the heart of this case was a basic question: Do Black Floridians have the right to fair representation in Congress?” Robinson said. “Today, the Court answered with a resounding no.”

DeSantis had vetoed the Legislature’s initial map preserving Lawson’s district, proposing his own version that lawmakers later adopted. The new map led to a Republican gain of four U.S. House seats in 2022, including Lawson’s defeat.