Republicans in the state Senate filed their intent to appeal a federal court ruling that upended Michigan politics last week by requiring lawmakers to redraw federal and state legislative district lines.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, said the ruling "wasn't the best surprise I've ever received," but that it will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Also appealing the ruling are Michigan Republicans in Congress and the state House of Representatives.

A panel made up of three federal judges, one from the U.S. 6th Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati and two others from Michigan, decided in favor of the League of Women Voters and several Democratic plaintiffs that 34 districts — nine congressional, 10 state Senate and 15 state House districts — were unconstitutionally gerrymandered. The panel gave the state until Aug. 1 to draw up new lines for the 2020 election or the court would do it.

More:Michigan's political boundaries under fire: 14 things to know

More:Federal panel orders Michigan to redraw congressional, legislative maps for 2020

While the decision directly affects the 34 districts, it will also impact adjacent districts and could force members of the state Senate to run in new districts in 2020, rather than the next regularly scheduled Senate races in 2022.

Shirkey said Tuesday that he doesn't want the controversial ruling to distract the Legislature from important business, including approving the state's $60 billion budget and reforming no fault auto insurance.

The redistricting decision "is a shiny object, but we have to train ourselves to not pay attention to it," he said. "But right now, everything's kind of in limbo until this United States Supreme Court makes their rulings."

One of the biggest questions for the current Senate is whether many lawmakers will be able to run again. The state's constitution says that term limits dictate that senators may only run for their seat twice. Eight senators — two Democrats and six Republicans — are already serving their second term and may not be able to run again if they have to face a 2020 election.

"That's one of the unknowns related to the ruling and as soon as we have some clarity as to what the Supreme Court is going to do, that is going to be the next question we have to finalize," Shirkey said.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this spring in similar cases from Maryland and North Carolina and is likely to rule on those before it ends its term in June or early July. Whatever gets decided in those cases could potentially set a precedent that effectively decides the Michigan case.

Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.