A lawsuit was filed Monday in Leon County Circuit Court challenging Florida's newly signed congressional map, which Governor Ron DeSantis introduced via Fox News. The map, which shows 20 Republican-leaning districts and 8 Democratic-leaning districts, was signed into law by DeSantis on Monday. The lawsuit, filed by Democratic lawyer Marc Elias's firm, argues that the map violates the state's constitutional provision banning partisan gerrymandering.
Lawsuit Alleges Partisan Intent
The complaint states that the map can only be explained by an openly stated purpose: to maximize Republican congressional representation. It asks the court to strike down the map as unconstitutional and prevent its use in the upcoming midterm elections. DeSantis's office did not respond to a request for comment, but the governor posted on social media: 'Signed, sealed and delivered,' along with an image of the new map.
Map Color-Coded in Red and Blue
The lawsuit notes that DeSantis unveiled the map a week ago with zero input from lawmakers or the public, using openly partisan red-and-blue colors. The map showed 24 districts shaded red and four shaded blue. The complaint describes it as a partisan declaration, not a neutral redistricting proposal.
Many Republicans view Elias as a nemesis for his history of blocking favorable district lines and voting restrictions. He was part of the legal team that overturned a previous Republican-drawn map in 2015, citing the Fair Districts Amendments approved by voters. That amendment bans partisan gerrymandering and prohibits weakening minority representation districts.
Background on Previous Maps
In 2022, DeSantis rejected a legislative map giving Republicans 16 seats and drew one giving them 20 seats. The Florida Supreme Court upheld that map after a challenge citing minority representation protections, but not the partisan intent prohibition. Monday's lawsuit focuses on that partisan intent ban.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana minority district, ruling that the Voting Rights Act cannot justify such districts without a history of discrimination. An outside lawyer hired by DeSantis argued that the Fair Districts Amendments' partisan gerrymandering ban is null and void because the Florida Supreme Court invalidated the minority districts language.
Case Assigned to Judge J. Lee Marsh
The case was assigned to Judge J. Lee Marsh, appointed by former Republican Gov. Rick Scott. In 2023, Marsh ruled DeSantis's 2022 map unconstitutional under the Fair Districts Amendments, but that ruling was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court. The lawsuit is on behalf of Equal Ground Education Fund and 18 Florida voters, naming Secretary of State Cord Byrd and the Florida House and Senate as defendants.
