A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that Missouri must utilize a new Republican-leaning congressional map for now, just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a state high court ruling requiring an older map to stand. The Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Missouri officials aiming to employ the Trump-backed districts for the November election, a blow to Republicans seeking to preserve their narrow House majority. The justices upheld a decision by Missouri’s top court stating the new districts cannot be used because they were superseded by a citizen petition calling for a statewide vote. Shortly after, U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark issued a temporary restraining order in a separate challenge, arguing plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm if voters had to cast ballots for candidates they played no part in nominating. On Wednesday, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to stay Clark’s ruling, prompting People not Politicians, a group opposing the map, to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, where Justice Brett Kavanaugh requested a response from map proponents by Thursday morning. The back-and-forth has intensified uncertainty surrounding November’s boundaries. The state legislature passed the new maps last year, which would convert longtime Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City-area district into a GOP-leaning zone. Although the new districts were utilized in August primaries, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled last week that the state must revert to post-census districts adopted earlier. Republican State Attorney General Catherine Hanaway warned the Supreme Court that switching maps between primaries and the general election would spark unprecedented administrative chaos. Conversely, challenger Richard Von Glahn urged the high court not to intervene, claiming the state intentionally delayed action. Missouri’s delegation currently features six Republicans and two Democrats elected under 2022 boundaries. Prompted by President Trump, Gov. Mike Kehoe convened a special legislative session last year to redraw boundaries, targeting Cleaver’s 5th Congressional District by splitting Kansas City and extending the district into rural areas. On primary day, Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected a petition seeking a November referendum, but the state Supreme Court ultimately reversed his decision, ruling the new districts never became law because signatures were submitted in December. Hoskins subsequently designated the referendum as Proposition A on the ballot. Missouri is one of several states where Republicans attempted to redraw congressional lines to gain additional House seats ahead of the midterms.
Source: cbsnews.com
