Missouri Asks Supreme Court to Restore Trump-Backed Congressional Map
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The Story
Missouri appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to allow the use of new congressional districts backed by President Donald Trump in the fast-approaching midterm election. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway's office filed an emergency application, warning that "A federal-election-administration disaster is unfolding in Missouri." The appeal seeks to halt a Missouri Supreme Court decision that blocked the new map and ordered a statewide vote in November on whether to keep or reject it. The new congressional boundaries were drawn to help Republicans win an additional seat and hold onto their slim House majority in November's midterm elections. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that a referendum petition, submitted with over 300,000 signatures, effectively suspended the new districts, retroactive to last December, pending voter approval. Although the new districts were used in the August primary, the state's top court said the previous districts enacted after the 2020 census must be used in the general election. Hanaway stated that no other court has ordered congressional maps changed after a primary but before a general election, calling it an extraordinary remedy. Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the referendum petition on primary Election Day, asserting Missouri's constitution does not allow such petitions on congressional redistricting. A lower court sided with Hoskins, but the state Supreme Court overturned his decision, ruling the petition was legal, sufficient, and timely. This is part of a national redistricting battle that Trump launched last year. President Trump condemned the Missouri Supreme Court's decision on Thursday, calling it ridiculous. Hanaway's office expressed uncertainty about whether the state can switch its governing congressional map in time to run a timely federal election. State law sets a Tuesday deadline to make changes to the November ballot. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who hears appeals from the region, asked critics of the new map to respond to the appeal by Monday.
The Spread
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What they agree on
- Missouri has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the use of new congressional districts.
- The new congressional map is backed by President Donald Trump and designed to benefit Republicans.
- The Missouri Supreme Court previously blocked the new map and ordered a statewide vote on it in November.
- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed an emergency application to reinstate the map.
- The state Supreme Court ruled that a referendum petition, with over 300,000 signatures, suspended the new districts.
Where they split
- Courthouse News Service and The Hill emphasize the emergency appeal to the Supreme Court and the "unprecedented chaos" warning from the Attorney General.
- The New York Times and Associated Press focus on the Missouri Supreme Court's decision to block the Trump-backed map and order a public vote.
- Fox News highlights President Trump's condemnation of the Missouri Supreme Court's ruling as "ridiculous."
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch provides details on what is different in the congressional map for November following the state Supreme Court's decision.