Missouri Attorney General Appeals to Supreme Court for Trump-Backed Redistricting Map

<p>Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed an emergency appeal on September 5, 2026, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to permit the use of a new congressional map supported by President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders in the upcoming midterm elections.</p><p>This appeal follows a ruling from Missouri's Supreme Court that blocked the redistricting map and mandated a statewide vote in November to determine its future.</p><p>Hanaway requested that the U.S. Supreme Court immediately halt the state court's decision. In a statement, she said, "We have just appealed yesterday's catastrophic ruling to the Supreme Court of the United States. We look forward to the Court's prompt review of this critical matter, as our ability to hold timely and lawful congressional elections hangs in the balance."</p><p>State law requires changes to the November ballot to be made by Tuesday. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who oversees appeals from the region, has asked opponents of the new map to respond to the appeal by Monday.</p><p>The Missouri Supreme Court's ruling on Thursday is part of a broader national redistricting effort backed by Trump. The GOP aimed to utilize Missouri’s new congressional map to gain an additional seat and maintain its slim House majority.</p><p>The state Supreme Court determined that a referendum petition, filed in December after more than 300,000 signatures were collected, prevented the new districts from being implemented unless approved by voters.</p><p>Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins initially rejected the petition on primary Election Day, arguing that Missouri's constitution does not permit referendum petitions on congressional redistricting. A lower court supported Hoskins, but the state Supreme Court later overturned that decision.</p><p>The court stated, "The referendum petition was legal, sufficient, and timely, and the secretary incorrectly concluded otherwise." It added that the new districts would not take effect unless approved by voters.</p><p>Although Missouri’s new districts were used in the primaries last month, the state Supreme Court ruled they cannot be used again without voter approval of the districts passed by the GOP-controlled legislature and signed by Republican Governor Mike Kehoe in September.</p><p>The court noted that the congressional map established after the 2020 census remains effective for the November 2026 general election.</p><p>Five of the seven justices on the Missouri Supreme Court, including the chief justice, were appointed by Republican governors.</p><p>Hanaway remarked that no other court has ordered congressional maps after a primary but before a general election, stating, "No court in American history has ever given such an extraordinary remedy, which inflicts unprecedented chaos on Missouri." Her office expressed concern about the state's ability to switch its congressional map in time for the federal election.</p><p>Congressional districts are typically redrawn at the start of each decade based on new census data, but Trump's efforts to influence the midterm elections have led to a mid-decade redistricting conflict affecting over a dozen states.</p><p>Trump criticized the ruling as "ridiculous" and unconstitutional, claiming there would not be enough time to alter the map before the November elections. Missouri's governor expressed disappointment in the decision made by the judges, stating it showed a lack of respect for the legislative process.</p><p>The new Missouri map aimed to alter Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver's Kansas City-area district by shifting it eastward to include more rural, right-leaning voters, with the goal of achieving a 7-1 advantage in the state's congressional delegation.</p><p>Cleaver responded by stating, "More than 305,000 Missourians demanded a say in who will represent them in the halls of Congress. Despite the cynical and deeply shameful attempt to silence many of our neighbors, the people fought back and won. This reaffirms that the people should choose their politicians, not the other way around. Democracy prevails."</p><p><i>The Associated Press contributed to this report.</i></p>