Florida Supreme Court Allows New Republican-Drawn U.S. House Districts for Midterms

U.S. House districts drawn by Republicans to be used in the midterm elections. The 6-1 ruling denied a request for a temporary injunction without addressing the merits of the underlying lawsuit.

Judges said they lacked jurisdiction to intervene while the case proceeds in lower courts. The new districts were signed into law by the Republican governor after a two-day special legislative session. S.

House seats, and the map could improve the party’s chances of gaining four additional seats. The map redraws a southeastern Florida district that state officials said had been created to help elect a Black representative. Florida’s constitution bars partisan gerrymandering and requires districts to be compact and respect existing political and geographic boundaries where feasible.

Attorneys for voters who sued argued the districts violate the state constitutional prohibition on partisan gerrymandering. They asked the court to order continued use of the previous districts. "The Florida supreme court’s failure to stop this brazen partisan power grab is not only an assault on democracy, but an abdication of its duty to the people of Florida," Genesis Robinson, executive director of Equal Ground, said.

James Uthmeier, the Republican attorney general who defended the map, declared “complete and total victory” in a social media post. Opponents said they will continue litigation even if it extends into the 2028 cycle. Prospective congressional candidates face a Friday deadline to qualify for the state’s 18 August primaries.

Voting districts are typically redrawn after each census, but Florida is among several states conducting mid-decade redistricting.