TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — Florida's newly enacted congressional map will face its first court test on Friday, when a state judge hears arguments on lawsuits seeking to block the districts as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. The lawsuits, filed on behalf of voters, ask the court to halt use of the map in the 2026 midterm elections and reinstate the districts drawn in 2022.

Florida's Legislature approved the new U.S. House map on April 29 after a two-day special session, and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law. The plan could improve the GOP's chances of winning four additional seats in November. Republicans currently hold 20 of Florida's 28 U.S. House seats, and the new map includes 24 Republican-leaning districts.

Three lawsuits from advocacy groups argue the districts were drawn using political data, making them unconstitutional under a state constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2010 that prohibits U.S. House districts from being drawn with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent. Jason Pereda, who drew the map, conceded in state legislative testimony last month that he used political data along with other considerations.

Chris Shenton, an attorney representing Common Cause Florida and other groups challenging the map, said partisan intent can be seen in which regions were most affected. Under the new map, 82% of voters in districts represented by Republicans remain in the same districts as under the previous map. "Just 41% of voters in districts represented by Democrats are kept in their same districts," Shenton said. "The reason the [new map] does that is because its goal is to target Democrats and favor Republicans."

In Northeast Florida, Republican-held seats stayed largely the same, while in the Tampa Bay area the new map changed the seat held by Rep. Kathy Castor, the only Democrat in the region. Simone Leeper, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said, "Any level of improper partisan intent is too much."

Attorneys for the state argued the districts should not be blocked without a full trial where evidence can be presented. They said that, because of time concerns, the new map should be used for the midterms even as the legal challenge continues. Candidates can start turning in qualifying paperwork on May 25 to run in the 2026 primaries. Plaintiffs countered that the 2022 maps should remain in place to avoid logistical hurdles, because they have been used for the past two election cycles.