New Florida US House map faces partisan gerrymandering claims

Key Points:

• New congressional districts in Florida, designed to favor Republicans and potentially gain four additional House seats, are being challenged in court for allegedly violating the state's constitutional ban on partisan gerrymandering.
• Florida's 2010 Fair Districts Amendment prohibits drawing districts to favor a political party or diminish minority voting power, but the new map reportedly keeps 82% of Republican voters in the same districts while only 41% of Democratic voters remain in theirs, suggesting targeted reconfiguration.
• Governor Ron DeSantis and state officials argue no racial data was used in redistricting and contend that parts of the Fair Districts Amendment protecting racial minorities may be unconstitutional, potentially invalidating the entire amendment.
• Similar redistricting battles are unfolding in other states, including South Carolina, where the legislature is debating a GOP-backed plan to redraw districts and move primaries to August to enhance Republican chances, amid heightened security and Democratic opposition citing undue influence from former President Trump.
• The national redistricting fight continues as courts and legislatures in multiple states address claims of partisan gerrymandering, with the U.S. Supreme Court having ruled that such claims must be resolved in state courts under state laws.