(The Center Square) – The Florida Supreme Court denied a challenge to new congressional maps on Wednesday.
The Supreme Court was asked to intervene in the ongoing case under consideration by the First District Court of Appeal. Petitioners, including the Equal Ground Education Fund, are seeking a temporary injunction in the case.
The justices said they do not have jurisdiction.
“This court’s denial of the requested writ in this case simply reflects its respect for the constitution’s allocation of judicial power across the State’s different courts and the limited authority the constitution gives us to intervene in appeals pending in the district courts. The process in this case has operated as the constitution requires,” wrote Justice Adam Tanenbaum.
Gov. Ron DeSantis called a special session earlier this year for the legislature to consider redrawing congressional districts. The governor took to X Wednesday afternoon after the Supreme Court announced its decision.
“The Florida Supreme Court has rejected the challenge to the state’s redistricting plan and new map. This assures that the recently enacted map will be in place for the 2026 election,” DeSantis said.
Attorney General James Uthmeier called the ruling a “complete and total victory.”
Equal Ground Executive Director Genesis Robinson criticized the redistricting as a “brazen partisan power grab.”
“The Florida Constitution is clear: districting maps should not be drawn to favor a political party. And by allowing a map designed to deliver approximately 86% of Florida’s congressional districts to a single party to remain in place, the Court has turned a blind eye to the very protections voters enshrined in our Constitution,” said Robinson. “Yet again, Florida voters will be forced to endure another election cycle under a map drawn in open defiance of the Fair Districts Amendment – a constitutional mandate that 63% of Floridians passed to protect voters from unfair and discriminatory redistricting.”
Justice Tanenbaum said they would have their chance in court.
“The people of Florida can rest assured that elections will take place this year—under a redistricting law and an election code enacted by their Legislature, all as administered by various, capable state and local election officials—following which they will have their duly apportioned allotment of elected representatives in Congress. In the meantime, the plaintiffs will have their days in court, in due course, to be heard on the merits of their challenge to the new redistricting law—all in comportment with the reformed judicial system established by the people through their constitution,” said Tanenbaum.
