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 by Missouri's high 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 high court's decision. "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," Hanaway stated.</p><p>Missouri's state law requires changes to the November ballot to be made by Tuesday. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who handles 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 was part of a broader national redistricting effort supported by Trump, aimed at helping the GOP secure an additional seat and maintain its slim majority in the House.</p><p>The court ruled that a referendum petition, filed in December after more than 300,000 signatures were submitted, prevented the new districts from taking effect unless approved by voters.</p><p>Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the petition on primary Election Day, arguing that Missouri's constitution does not permit referendum petitions on congressional redistricting. A lower court sided with Hoskins, but the state Supreme Court later overturned this 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 be implemented unless voters approved them.</p><p>The new congressional districts were utilized in the primaries last month, but 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 until the general election in November 2026.</p><p>Five of the seven justices on the Missouri Supreme Court, including the chief justice, were appointed by Republican governors.</p><p>Hanaway argued that no other court has mandated congressional maps to be changed after a primary but before a general election. Her office stated, "No court in American history has ever given such an extraordinary remedy, which inflicts unprecedented chaos on Missouri. Looking forwards, the State is genuinely unsure whether it can switch its governing congressional map in time to run a timely federal election."</p><p>Congressional districts are typically redrawn at the beginning 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, expressing concerns about the insufficient time to alter the map before the November elections. Missouri's governor also expressed disappointment in the decision, criticizing the judges for their perceived disregard 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, conservative voters, with the goal of achieving a 7-1 Republican advantage in the state's congressional delegation.</p><p>Cleaver responded, 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>