A Florida judge refused to temporarily block the state's new congressional map on Tuesday, allowing it to remain in place as a lawsuit proceeds. The map could give Republicans four additional seats in November's midterm elections. Voting rights groups argue the map violates a state ban on partisan gerrymandering that Florida voters passed in 2010.

Under the previous map, Democrats held eight of Florida's 28 congressional districts; under the new map, they're favored to win only four. Republican lawmakers adopted the map last month at the urging of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cited a recent Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act. A DeSantis aide admitted drawing districts using partisan data without needing to comply with the Fair Districts amendment.

Judge Joshua M. Hawkes, whom DeSantis appointed in 2020, ruled the plaintiffs hadn't sufficiently proven partisan intent. The plaintiffs plan to appeal, though time is running short—candidates began qualifying for Florida's Aug. 18 primary on Monday. This marks an unusual mid-decade redistricting effort driven by Trump's push for Republicans to redraw maps nationwide.