Ron DeSantis, who humiliated Gavin Newsom in Thursday’s historic debate, returned to his winning ways on Friday.

An appeals court has reversed a prior ruling finding that the governor’s congressional map, which changed Florida’s District 5 from a 200-mile-long racial gerrymander to something that makes sense proportionally. Democrats sued, claiming that the more consolidated district violated legal provisions on minority representation. The First District Court of Appeals in Florida has officially disagreed, upholding the originally-passed map. While this decision could end up in front of the Supreme Court, it’s highly unlikely, given the political makeup of the court, that they would disagree with the appeals court’s decision.

#BREAKING: Court upholds Florida’s congressional map, strikes down prior ruling that said it violated state law over racial representation concerns

— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) December 1, 2023

This fight did not begin with the judiciary system. DeSantis first had to convince his own party not to completely give up on redistricting by the 2022 elections. Republicans in Florida’s legislature were poised to give up the state census gains and possibly lose two to three House Seats in the process. The governor was not impressed, and he decided to fight with the GOP leadership for months to get them to concede and let him put forward a map that could be voted on. The map passed and, along with New York’s key victories, Florida’s newly redesigned map gave the majority to Republicans.

DeSantis’ recent legal victory was a direct result when he stood up and fought for what he believed in, even though others would not. This is to his credit and has been an ongoing trend during his tenure in office. Most Republicans will fold if you let them do it on their own. DeSantis isn’t that kind of guy, and he has won in what used to be a purple state.

He may also have saved the House in 2024 for the GOP. Republicans are already on a razor-thin margin, which has been made even thinner with the expulsion of George Santos. They need to win every seat possible come election day. Even one Florida seat could mean the difference between Mike Johnson becoming Speaker of the House and Hakeem Jeffreys.

I am depressed to imagine what might have happened if a large chunk of the Republican Party had not decided DeSantis was to be destroyed because of petty politics. DeSantis is a master artist who continues to create his masterpiece. To not have him at the forefront of your party, even if you’re not the nominee for 2024, will be a huge waste of talent. I hope that he can weather this storm, and Republicans will come to their senses, even if Trump is the nominee for this election.