Republicans Score Crucial Court Win on Redistricting Just Before Midterms

A Missouri judge ruled Wednesday that redrawn congressional district lines should be used for the November elections, turning aside an effort to have a referendum held on the redistricting.

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled in favor of Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, according to KMBC-TV.

Green said Hoskins followed the law when he rejected a petition to hold a referendum on the new boundaries.

“The Secretary of State’s decision to not certify the referendum petition directed at HB 1 was lawful,” part of the opinion reads. “HB 1 remains in full force and effect for the 2026 general election.”

Green ruled that changing boundaries after they were used for the state’s primary elections violates federal law.

“Plaintiff’s requested relief plainly violates the right of Missouri voters to have their ballot counted,” Green wrote.

“Federal law precludes this Court from ordering the State to use a different congressional map than the one under which Missouri conducted the 2026 primary elections,” he ruled.

Although the Missouri Constitution allows for a referendum on anything the state Legislature does, Green said that does not apply in this case, according to the Missouri Independent.

“That provision at most merely raises, but does not answer, the question whether the referendum power extends to congressional redistricting, a domain (the Missouri Constitution) and the U.S. Constitution separately and specifically assign to the General Assembly,” Green wrote.

Green accepted the argument that although the petition met the required number of signatures, its goal was unconstitutional.

“This is a resounding victory for Missouri voters and election integrity,” Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters said.

“The court rejected Democrats’ latest scheme to overturn lawful congressional maps and create chaos ahead of the election. Missouri’s maps were fairly enacted by the legislature, upheld in court, and used in this year’s primary election. Today’s ruling makes clear those maps will stand,” he said.

Attorney John Gore, representing the Republican National Committee, the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee and the Missouri Republican State Committee, had said the referendum penalized primary voters.

“It’s difficult to imagine any kind of judicial order that would cause more widespread voter confusion or erosion in confidence in the integrity of this state’s elections than the relief plaintiff seeks,” Gore said.

AP: Missouri court allows new Trump-backed US House districts to be used in November election

“A Missouri judge has allowed new U.S. House districts backed by President Donald Trump to be used in the November elections, rejecting a bid by to put the Republican-friendly districts… https://t.co/SCQamkXS9Y pic.twitter.com/fkiuoqIMtj

— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) August 20, 2026

Fox News noted that Missouri changed the boundaries hoping to add one Republican seat to the six now held by the GOP. Democrats currently hold two of the state’s eight seats.

Plaintiff Richard von Glahn appealed the ruling Wednesday.

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