In a major ruling on Thursday, a federal judge rejected an effort to reinstate Andrew Warren, the former state attorney for Hillsborough County, who was fired by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis earlier this year.

The judge, Steven Merryday of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, acknowledged that DeSantis had violated the state Constitution and First Amendment when he fired Warren, but ruled that Warren could not be reinstated.

Merryday criticized DeSantis’ decision to fire Warren, saying it was “made without legitimate justification and in bad faith.” However, he said that the governor had the authority to fire Warren, who DeSantis said had a “militant agenda” that was out of line with the governor’s policies.

In response to the ruling, Warren said he was disappointed but not surprised. “I am deeply disappointed that the court did not recognize the importance of protecting the independence of prosecutors from political interference,” he said.

DeSantis, meanwhile, welcomed the ruling, saying that it “upholds the rule of law and confirms that I had the authority to make the decision I made.”

The ruling is a major victory for DeSantis, who has been criticized by Democrats for his decision to fire Warren. But the case is likely to have far-reaching implications for how governors can exercise their executive powers in the future.