Published 57 minutes ago • loading... • Updated 57 minutes ago
Missouri court blocks Trump-backed US House map and orders it to be put to a vote
On Thursday, the Missouri Supreme Court unanimously blocked the Trump-backed congressional map, ordering a statewide referendum on the new boundaries. The ruling prevents usage in the November general election, reverting to post-2020 district lines.
After pressure from Trump, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe called a special legislative session last year to reconfigure districts. Opponents led by People Not Politicians subsequently submitted over 300,000 petition signatures to trigger a public vote.
About 59% of the 5th Congressional District's voters were new under the revised map, forcing Democrat Emanuel Cleaver to campaign in rural areas. Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin won the district's August primary.
Although Secretary of State Denny Hoskins initially rejected the referendum petition, the court ruled it valid and found the redistricting law did not take effect absent voter approval. The previous map remains in full force for the November general election.
This ruling marks a rare setback for Republicans in a mid-decade redistricting battle that spread to more than a dozen states. The decision could still be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, though candidates must prepare using the previous district lines.