Missouri court allows new Trump-backed US House districts be used in November election
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge has ruled that the new U.S. House districts championed by President Donald Trump can be utilized in the upcoming November elections. The decision came after rejecting an attempt to hold a statewide vote by the public to decide on the Republican-friendly districts. Missouri's new districts were already in use during the August primaries.
Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins declined a petition with thousands of signatures advocating for a November referendum on the map, citing that Missouri's Constitution does not permit a referendum on congressional redistricting. Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe convened a special session on redistricting last year at the behest of President Trump, urging Republican-led states to redraw congressional boundaries to gain an edge ahead of the midterms.
Missouri's revised map aims to assist Republicans in defeating Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who represents Kansas City. The map reassigns parts of Kansas City to two adjacent districts held by Republicans and extends the remainder of Cleaver’s 5th Congressional District far into Republican-controlled rural areas, with approximately 59% of its voters being new to the 5th District. Despite the court's ruling, the decision is likely to be appealed.
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