A panel of federal judges upheld a Florida congressional redistricting plan supported by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, dismissing claims that it discriminated against black voters. The ruling is considered a significant victory for Republicans ahead of the 2024 elections. The new map led to the loss of a former Democratic representative in the Fifth District to Republican John Rutherford in the 2022 midterms. Republicans gained a total of four House seats in Florida due to the DeSantis-crafted map, resulting in a narrow 217-213 majority in the House after the departure of Rep. Mike Gallagher.
The judges determined that there was no evidence to suggest that the Florida Legislature had racial motivations when approving DeSantis’ redistricting plan. DeSantis had previously rejected a congressional map proposed by state lawmakers, arguing that it was racially gerrymandered and violated the US Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. The opinion by the panel of judges emphasized that the Legislature’s decision to give up the fight for a Black-performing district in North Florida did not constitute ratification of racial animus in violation of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.
The panel’s ruling clarified that the actions and motivations of a decision-making body like the Florida Legislature are accountable only for their own unconstitutional actions and not those of other individuals, including the Governor. Even if DeSantis had discriminatory motives when presenting the map, it did not imply similar motivations by the Legislature in passing it. The plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that the Florida Legislature shared any discriminatory motive in adopting and passing the redistricting map proposed by DeSantis. While the ruling can be appealed to the Supreme Court, a decision before the November election is unlikely.
The notion of DeSantis’ potential racial considerations when presenting the map to state lawmakers did not impact the panel’s decision. The ruling emphasized that the Florida Legislature’s actions should be judged independently, regardless of the motivations of other individuals involved in the process. A separate challenge to the redistricting map is still pending before Florida’s high court, adding a layer of complexity to the legal proceedings surrounding the congressional redistricting plan. Given the significance of the ruling for both Republicans and Democrats in Florida, the outcome of the legal challenges could have far-reaching implications on future elections and political landscapes in the state.
