Key facts
- A Missouri judge ruled that new U.S. House districts, supported by President Donald Trump, can be used in the November elections.
- The decision by Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green rejected a request to hold a statewide referendum on the redistricting map.
- The judge agreed with Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins that Missouri's Constitution does not permit referendums on congressional redistricting.
- These new districts were already utilized for the August primaries.
- The revised map is designed to disadvantage Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver by reassigning parts of his Kansas City district.
- The ruling is seen as a victory for Republicans aiming to maintain their slim majority in the U.S. House.
A Missouri judge has permitted new U.S. House districts, reportedly influenced by President Donald Trump, to be implemented for the upcoming November elections. Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green's decision on Wednesday dismissed a challenge seeking to put the Republican-friendly map to a public vote, a move that could aid Republicans in their efforts to retain control of the U.S. House.
The ruling aligns with the stance of Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who had previously rejected a petition with thousands of signatures aiming to force a referendum on the redistricting plan. Hoskins argued that the Missouri Constitution does not permit such referendums for congressional redistricting, a position the judge upheld.
These newly drawn districts were already in use during the August primaries. The redistricting plan specifically targets Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City, reassigning portions of his district to neighboring Republican-held areas and extending the 5th Congressional District eastward into rural, Republican-leaning territory. According to an Associated Press estimate, approximately 59% of the voters in the reshaped 5th District are new to it.
The legal dispute arose because the Missouri Constitution neither explicitly allows nor prohibits referendums on congressional redistricting. The state's Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway's office, representing the secretary of state, contended that congressional redistricting is a legislative function that cannot be subjected to a referendum without explicit constitutional authorization. Attorneys for Republican committees also argued that altering the districts now, after the primary, would cause significant voter confusion and undermine election integrity, citing a similar situation in 1922 when voters rejected a Republican-drawn map.
Missouri's mid-decade redistricting is part of a broader national trend, with Republicans in several states, including Texas, seeking to redraw congressional boundaries to their advantage. Republicans hope these efforts will yield up to 16 additional House seats across eight states, while Democrats anticipate gaining up to six seats from new districts in California and Utah. The effectiveness of these redistricting strategies remains to be seen, especially given historical midterm losses for the president's party and Trump's approval ratings.