Florida Democrats and Civil Rights Organizations Prepare For Court Battle Over New Redistricting

In the same afternoon Florida lawmakers gave approval to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ redrawn mid-decade congressional maps, advocacy groups made clear their opposition and expectation of legal challenges.

Common Cause Florida said Wednesday afternoon it is exploring legal options. Florida’s proposed maps, critics say, don’t meet their criteria for fairness.

The Legislature’s approval coincided with a long-awaited U.S. Supreme Court ruling addressing racial considerations in drawing districts, fueling further disagreement on the necessity to go through the process. DeSantis argued the ruling nullifies state constitutional prohibitions against political gerrymandering.

Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida, stressed that the SCOTUS ruling doesn’t strike down Fair Districts, as the governor contends.

“So, the ruling that came down today does not change the fact that states have a right to make partisan gerrymandering illegal in their states, and that is what the people of Florida did in 2010 and that is what makes the map that we’re seeing on the floor today unconstitutional in the state of Florida,” Keith said.

When asked to comment on sone Republicans opposing the changes Keith offered this:

“When we did our poll in September, we certainly found that Democrats, Republicans, independents, even people who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 election, are opposed to partisan gerrymandering in the state of Florida. The fact that this is a bipartisan issue and, as you know, opposition from across the board is not surprising, and it doesn’t change. Florida has always had Republicans, Democrats, and independents who oppose partisan gerrymandering, so I am glad to see people from both parties really speaking out.”

Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman said she looks forward to the maps being challenged in court.

“Passing this map, which was drafted in only two weeks and given to us with barely a day’s notice, was a complete abdication of our responsibility as legislators and an insult to the voters that put us here,” Berman said following the floor vote.

“I’d like to thank my colleagues from across the aisle that were brave enough to choose people over politics by opposing this map. Your willingness to put partisanship aside and do the right thing gives me a glimmer of hope in our increasingly cynical political world,” Berman said.

Following the vote, the Republican Party of Florida praised the new map and “state leaders for advancing a plan they say reflects Florida’s growth, communities, and voter priorities.”

“This is responsible governance and we applaud Governor DeSantis for his leadership on this and the Legislature for moving forward and passing these new maps,” Florida GOP chair Evan Power, also a candidate for the U.S. House, said.

House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell said the session, started Tuesday and ended Wednesday “was an abuse of the process.”

“I am disappointed for our constituents that Republican politicians in Tallahassee chose to waste taxpayer dollars on a political stunt that will hurt Floridians instead of focusing on practical solutions to solve the real affordability issues impacting their lives.

“Republican leadership in Tallahassee continues to focus on partisan games and they are not shy to show it. House Republicans cheered at the destruction of democracy while Democrats fought to defend it.”

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Orlando, sounded off, saying the “map is clearly illegal, and even a packed court like Florida’s will have to recognize that and ultimately strike it down.”

“For Governor DeSantis, this is about winning elections, not the census or complying with Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment. Any redistricting plan should follow the law, and this map clearly violates both the letter and the intent of the law,” Frost said in a news release.

The debate leading into the Florida House vote took less than 90 minutes, with no Republicans speaking on it. Some did comment afterwards, however.

Florida Rep. Juan Porras, a Republican from Miami, said the map is “fair representation for every Floridian.

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, a Republican, told a Fox Business in advance of passage that, due to Florida’s growth, the state is “justified” to redistrict now.

Alex Vindman, a Democrat running against Moody, insisted she is wrong.

“Nothing ‘justifies’ this scheme to take voting power out of the hands of Floridians. Floridians voted for fair districts,” Vindman said in a news release.

Organizations react

The Florida Democratic Party said the U.S. Supreme Court “handed Republicans a roadmap to dilute the voting power of Black and Latino Americans nationwide.”

“Six Republican-appointed justices have gutted one of the most powerful tools minority communities have used for decades to fight discriminatory maps, turning partisan goals into a shield for racial discrimination. People fought, bled, and died for these protections,” the party said in a written statement Wednesday afternoon.

“Ron DeSantis and his allies are already trying to use today’s SCOTUS ruling as cover for their own illegal, partisan power grab. It will not work here,” the statement continues.

“The Court may have rewritten federal law, but it does not have the power to rewrite Florida’s Constitution. Florida Democrats will use every tool available under our state constitution to fight these illegal maps and stop this power grab.”

National Democratic Redistricting Committee President John Bisognano called it “DeSantis’s extreme new gerrymander.”

“Instead of standing up for their constituents, Florida Republicans have just voted to silence millions of Floridians in service of Donald Trump’s plot to steal the 2026 midterm elections. If they think they can get away with trampling over the will of the voters and ignoring the state constitution’s ban on partisan gerrymandering, they are sorely mistaken,” Bisognano said in a written statement, adding that the GOP “can expect fierce legal challenges against this new gerrymander.”

All Voting is Local Action Florida director Brad Ashwell said DeSantis’ “legacy will always be tied to the erosion of voting rights in Florida.”

“The ridiculous creation of an election police force, the laws that attacked popular voting methods like voting by mail and early voting, and now mid-decade redistricting — all have been used to keep voters from the ballot box and control the results of our elections.”

“With his latest actions, DeSantis has ignored his state’s voters to instead cater to President Trump so their party can maintain control of Congress during the midterms. Despite what DeSantis and his cronies on the ground in Florida say, this redistricting push wasn’t about political lines. This was about whether all voters — including Black, Brown, and those from other historically excluded communities — can have a chance at representation in a system that’s supposed to serve everyone, and it was an opportunity those who voted for this new map failed to take.”

Equality Florida policy director Jon Harris Maurer said the special session “was about rigging a system” in favor of “Donald Trump and extremists in Washington before voters even cast a ballot.

“There is no reasonable basis for this map, and Floridians continue to pay the price for the Governor’s political ambition. The public is not buying it. Hundreds of Floridians showed up at the Capitol, and thousands more spoke out to demand fair maps.

“When leaders ignore the Constitution, the courts become the next line of defense. This map raises serious constitutional concerns, and we expect it to face immediate legal challenges in the courts.”

State Voices Florida policy director Larry Hannan joined in the condemnation.

“When someone is sworn into the Florida House or Senate they take an oath promising to support, protect and defend the Florida Constitution. Every legislator who voted for this gerrymander violated their oath. This map is clearly illegal under the Fair District Amendment and I hope the courts throw it out immediately.”

Florida League of Women Voters president Jessica Lowe-Minor pointed to the difference in the Supreme Court ruling and Florida’s Constitution.

“The League of Women Voters of Florida is disappointed with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. However, it does not change the reality that, here in Florida, it is illegal to draw districts with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party. Despite the fig leaves that have been placed on mid-cycle redistricting, everyone can see that this is a partisan political power grab.”

Stand Up America policy director Brett Edkins said that, instead of focusing on housing, insurance and utility costs, the Legislature did “Trump’s bidding and restrict[ed] Floridians’ freedom to vote with a state SAVE Act and gerrymandered maps.

“Today, Florida became the fifth Republican state after Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, and Missouri to pass new gerrymandered maps in a desperate attempt to rig the 2026 midterms and protect Donald Trump and his sycophants in Congress.

“… In a democracy, voters should pick their leaders, not the other way around. While these new maps will make it harder to hold Trump and Congress accountable, in America, power rests with the people, and the people will not forget this assault on their freedom to vote in November.”

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus president Kristen Browde called Wednesday a “twin attack on democracy.”

“This ruling – and the redrawing of Florida district lines both encourage racism and discrimination against all minority groups. It’s part of the right wing effort to maintain control at all costs, including by allowing manipulation of district lines to disenfranchise large groups of voters.”

“For LGBTQ+ people, especially those who also belong to Black and Brown communities, the consequences of weakened protections and redrawn maps are not theoretical. Representation determines whether our voices are heard, whether our rights are defended, and whether our communities can thrive.”

Equal Ground executive director Genesis Robinson called the vote a “brazen power grab.”

“Just yesterday, hundreds of Floridians showed up in Tallahassee. Thousands more called, emailed, and demanded fairness throughout this process. And yet, despite overwhelming public outcry, the Legislature pushed forward a map designed to hand Republicans control of 24 out of Florida’s 28 congressional seats. That is not fairness. That is not democracy. That is manipulation.”

–Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix

Christine Sexton contributed to this report.