Florida Supreme Court Upholds DeSantis-Backed Congressional Map, Drawing Democratic Condemnation

TALLAHASSEE, FL (BuzzReport) – The Florida Supreme Court has upheld a congressional map championed by Governor Ron DeSantis and enacted by the state Legislature, a decision that solidifies Republican gains in the U.S. House and has drawn strong condemnation from Democratic leaders and civil rights advocates who argue it diminishes Black voting power.

In a 5-1 majority opinion released this week, the Court ruled that plaintiffs, including the Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute and Equal Ground, failed to demonstrate racial discrimination or a compelling need to preserve a North Florida district previously represented by a Black Democrat. This ruling effectively ends any legal challenges to the state’s congressional lines for the remainder of the decade.

The core of the majority’s decision, authored by Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz, accepted Governor DeSantis’s argument that the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution supersedes the “Non-Diminishment Clause” within Florida’s voter-approved Fair Districts amendments. The Fair Districts amendments, passed in 2010, aim to prevent gerrymandering and protect the ability of minority voters to elect representatives of their choice.

“The Legislature’s obligation to comply with the Equal Protection Clause is superior to its obligation to comply with the Non-Diminishment Clause as interpreted by our Court,” Muñiz wrote. “The plaintiffs did not prove the possibility of complying with both the Non-Diminishment Clause and the Equal Protection Clause in North Florida. Therefore, they did not meet their burden to prove the invalidity of the Enacted Plan.”

The ruling centers on the dismantling of Florida’s former 5th Congressional District, a meandering seat that stretched from Tallahassee to Jacksonville and was designed to empower Black voters. This district, previously held by U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, a Black Democrat, was originally drawn by the Supreme Court in 2016 as a remedy for Republican-led gerrymandering. DeSantis, however, criticized its configuration, arguing it constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

After vetoing a map passed by the Legislature that sought to preserve a similar Black-majority district in Jacksonville, DeSantis submitted his own map, which lawmakers subsequently approved. This map led to Republicans netting four additional U.S. House seats in the 2022 election, and Lawson was forced to run in a majority-Republican district, losing to U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn.

In their opinion, the justices acknowledged the Court’s previous role in the creation of the former CD 5, stating, “In fairness, we acknowledge our Court’s role in leading the trial court astray. Benchmark CD 5 originated in an order from our Court, and the things that make the Plan 8015 remedial district race-predominant are equally true of Benchmark CD 5.”

Democratic leaders and civil rights organizations swiftly condemned the ruling, emphasizing what they view as a profound blow to minority representation and the integrity of the state’s electoral process.

“Today is another dark day in the history of Florida. With today’s ruling, the Florida Supreme Court has turned its back on Black voters, the state constitution, and the fundamental principles of representative democracy,” stated Genesis Robinson, Executive Director of Equal Ground, one of the groups that challenged the map. “By allowing a map that clearly diminishes Black voting power to stand in a 5-1 decision, the Court has sent a chilling message: the constitutional rights of Black Floridians are negotiable, and the will of the people can be ignored, even when it is written into the very fabric of our laws.”

Robinson further asserted, “This is not just a legal setback, it is a direct attack on Black political power and a decision that will have ripple effects for generations. It cements an unjust political advantage and further erodes trust in our institutions.”

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried echoed these sentiments, highlighting that the five justices in the majority were all appointed by Governor DeSantis. “The Florida Supreme Court just greenlit Ron DeSantis’ political power grab — one that strips Black voters in North Florida of their power,” Fried said. “This ruling violates the Fair Districts Amendment, passed by Florida voters to protect minority representation and keep partisan gerrymandering in check. The court had an opportunity to uphold fair representation. Instead, the majority chose to side with the Governor’s rigged map.”

Justice Jorge Labarga, the lone dissenter, strongly criticized the majority’s conclusion. Labarga argued that despite the majority’s implicit agreement that the enacted plan “diminishes the ability of black voters in Benchmark CD 5 to elect representatives of their choice — thus, the Enacted Plan violates the Fair Districts Amendment (FDA) approved by Florida voters in 2010 — the majority ultimately concludes that no relief is warranted.” He contended that if the majority believed plaintiffs needed to offer an alternative map, the case should have been remanded to a lower court to allow them to do so.

Governor DeSantis, conversely, hailed the ruling as a vindication. “This was always the constitutionally correct map — and now both the federal courts and the Florida Supreme Court have upheld it,” he posted on social media. Evan Power, Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, also celebrated the outcome on social media, referring to the decision as “more Ws.”

The timing of the ruling also raised concerns among some Democrats, coming shortly after DeSantis encouraged former President Donald Trump to consider a mid-decade Census and reapportionment, which could potentially grant Florida more congressional seats. Critics suggest this court decision could provide DeSantis with an advantage in drawing future maps, now with clear judicial precedent indicating less stringent application of state-level Fair Districts protections.

Florida Democrats have vowed to continue their advocacy. “Florida Democrats will continue to fight for fair maps and equal representation for every Floridian — not just the ones Ron DeSantis chooses,” Fried stated.