Judges in Florida and Tennessee Reject Challenges, Allowing New GOP Congressional Maps for 2026

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Federal and state judges in Florida and Tennessee have rejected Democratic and voting-rights groups’ attempts to block newly drawn Republican congressional maps, clearing the way for their use in the 2026 midterm elections.

In Florida, U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor denied an emergency request to halt implementation of the map passed by the Republican legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The map redraws several South Florida districts in ways expected to deliver a net gain of up to four Republican seats. Judge Winsor ruled that the plaintiffs failed to show a substantial likelihood of success on their claims and that the map complies with federal law.

In Tennessee, a state judge similarly denied an injunction against the new congressional map that eliminates the state’s only majority-Black district by splitting Memphis across three districts. The map is projected to result in an all-Republican U.S. House delegation from Tennessee. The court found that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated sufficient grounds to stop the map from taking effect.

Both rulings follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s April 29 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and limited the use of race as the predominant factor in drawing districts. Republicans in several states have used the precedent to pursue more favorable maps.

The Florida and Tennessee decisions remove significant legal uncertainty for Republican redistricting efforts. Democrats had argued the maps intentionally diluted minority voting power, but the courts determined the challenges did not justify blocking the maps ahead of candidate filing and the 2026 elections.

With these victories, the new boundaries are now expected to govern the 2026 congressional races in both states. While further litigation on the merits may continue, the immediate path for the maps is clear.

The outcomes add to a string of Republican successes in Southern and Sun Belt states following the Supreme Court’s guidance. Analysts estimate these and other redistricting changes could produce a net gain of five to eight House seats for Republicans nationwide from map adjustments alone.

The rulings highlight the shifting legal environment for congressional redistricting and the difficulties Democrats face in countering Republican advantages in state legislatures. No immediate further emergency appeals were announced following the decisions.