A federal court based in Tampa dismissed a lawsuit brought by Republican-affiliated groups that disputed the 2020 census population figures for Florida, which they claimed resulted in the state losing two U.S. House seats. The plaintiffs argued that the Census Bureau's use of specific statistical techniques led to an undercount of Florida’s population, thereby impacting the apportionment of congressional districts.
This legal challenge emerged amid ongoing efforts by former President Donald Trump to influence Republican-controlled state legislatures to redraw congressional boundaries in a manner favorable to the GOP ahead of the forthcoming midterm elections.
The case was heard by a panel of three judges from the U.S. District Court in Tampa, who dismissed the complaint on the basis that it was filed too late under the applicable statute of limitations. However, the judges allowed the plaintiffs the chance to revise and refile their complaint. The court specified that any legal contestation related to the census methodology should have been initiated within four years of the usage of those statistical methods.
The initial lawsuit was filed in September 2025, while the Census Bureau had released the official state population counts in April 2021. This timing discrepancy was at the core of the court’s ruling to dismiss the case.
The plaintiffs included two political organizations: the Pinellas County Young Republicans and the University of South Florida College Republicans. Robert Quincy Bird, serving as legal counsel for these groups, did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment. Among the named plaintiffs was U.S. Representative Byron Donalds, a Republican endorsed by Trump who is currently pursuing a gubernatorial bid in Florida.
The 2020 census figures have drawn scrutiny and criticism from Republican politicians. Alterations to the census results as a consequence of successful litigation could have significant implications for redistricting processes. While the census data was officially published during the initial months of President Joe Biden’s administration, decisions regarding its execution, including the utilization of statistical adjustment methods, were made during Donald Trump’s tenure in office.