Florida congressional map survives first court test

A Florida judge kept Gov. Ron DeSantis' new congressional map alive Tuesday, allowing the state to implement a Republican-friendly plan while three state lawsuits continue. Why it matters: The national redistricting fight is a race to pre-write who controls Congress before voters ever see a ballot. Control of the U.S. House could turn on seats manufactured in state capitals as part of a mid-decade redistricting war started by President Trump. In 2010 nearly 63% of Florida voters approved a ban on partisan gerrymandering, but DeSantis' general counsel told lawmakers the state doesn't have to abide by that ban. The latest: The ruling by Leon County Circuit Judge Joshua Hawkes, a DeSantis appointee, keeps DeSantis' map in place while the lawsuits continue and election officials prepare for the 2026 races. The fight likely ends at the Florida Supreme Court, where DeSantis appointed six of seven justices and all seven were appointed by Republican governors. Hawkes found plaintiffs had not shown a substantial likelihood of success, writing that mapmaker Jason Poreda's use of partisan data was circumstantial evidence, not direct proof of illegal intent. He said forcing Florida back to its 2022 map on a rushed record would be improper, especially with the state's election machinery already underway and the primary less than three months away. The big picture: DeSantis' map lands in a national redistricting fight that is moving fast and mostly in Republicans' direction. The U.S. Supreme Court strengthened GOP arguments against race-conscious districts. Virginia's pro-Democratic gerrymander was struck down by its state Supreme Court. Louisiana is expected to convert one of its two Black Democratic seats into a Republican seat. Tennessee has already eliminated its last Democratic, Black-majority seat. Flashback: DeSantis already remade Florida's congressional map once. In 2022, he vetoed the Legislature's map, pushed lawmakers to pa...

Original source: Axios