Florida Scores HUGE Court Victory Ahead of 2022 Midterm Elections

Florida Democrats have failed in their attempt to change the congressional map in Florida ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

“Florida’s Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a request for a hearing over the state’s controversial new congressional map that eliminates a majority Black district, putting an end—for now—to one of the most high-profile redistricting challenges heading into the midterms,” Forbes reported.

Florida Gets Huge Victory in Court Battle Over 2022 Congressional Electionshttps://t.co/BL0R5OuiNC

— Election Wizard 🇺🇸 (@ElectionWiz) June 3, 2022

“A slew of voting rights groups suing the state wanted the court to consider reinstating an injunction blocking the map,” the report added.

“Leon County Circuit Judge Layne Smith issued an injunction last month blocking the map, ruling the proposal to move the 5th Congressional District out of a majority Black region of north Florida violated the Fair Districts Amendments of the state constitution. A state appellate court quickly moved to overturn the injunction, a decision the state Supreme Court chose to uphold.”

“The court did not rule on the merits of the lawsuit, but its decision to not issue an injunction effectively kills any chance of overturning the map before the midterms,” the story added.

From Forbes:

The map, which was drawn by Governor Ron DeSantis’ (R) office before getting legislative approval, increases Republican dominance over the state’s congressional delegation, partly through shifting the 5th District to a solidly Republican area. The old map straddled the 5th District along a roughly 150-mile stretch of Florida’s border with Georgia, a minority-majority area where Black residents make up more than 40% of the population. DeSantis argued the elongated shape of the district made it unconstitutional, while critics countered that moving the district is a blatant move to dilute the Black vote, which traditionally tilts Democratic.

Florida Supreme Court decides to stay out of fight over DeSantis’ redistricting map https://t.co/xF2974cFpN

— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) June 2, 2022

The Miami Herald added:

Justices, in a 4-1 ruling, rejected a request by voting-rights groups to stay a decision by the 1st District Court of Appeal. That appeals court decision effectively would allow the DeSantis plan to be used in this year’s elections as legal battles continue.

The one-paragraph ruling Thursday came as part of a thicket of legal moves as voting-rights groups and other plaintiffs challenge the constitutionality of the DeSantis-backed plan, which lawmakers passed during an April special legislative session.