Florida Supreme Court greenlights GOP gerrymander that violates state ban
Democracy Docket • • nation
Key Points:
- The Florida Supreme Court has allowed Governor Ron DeSantis’ gerrymandered congressional map to be used in the 2026 elections, despite a voter-approved ban on partisan gerrymandering in the state.
- The court’s majority declined to rule on the map’s legality, while the lone dissenting justice, Jorge Labarga, criticized the decision for not intervening as it had in previous cases.
- The new GOP map, pushed by DeSantis and passed by the legislature, could result in Republicans gaining up to four additional congressional seats, despite opposition from Democrats and some Republicans.
- A lawsuit challenging the map’s compliance with Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment was denied a temporary block by a circuit judge appointed by DeSantis, who prioritized recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings over state law protections.
- Since 2019, DeSantis has appointed six of the seven Florida Supreme Court justices, shifting the court to a conservative majority, which has now upheld the map in a decision celebrated by DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.