Missouri redistricting foes may have dealt big blow to Trump-backed congressional map
President Donald Trump’s push to get Missouri to send another Republican to the U.S. House during the 2026 midterm elections is facing a major challenge after opponents submitted more than 305,000 signatures Tuesday to place the state’s new map up for a statewide vote.
And while Secretary of State Denny Hoskins could try to block the referendum later, some legal experts don’t expect that move to succeed in court – which could prevent the new Trump-friendly map from going into effect in time for the midterms. And redistricting proponents are strongly disputing Hoskins’contention that the map can go into effect on Thursday.
Earlier this year, Trump pressured Missouri Republicans to redraw their congressional lines to transform Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City-based district into a GOP-leaning seat. It’s part of a national push from Trump to prevent Republicans from losing their slim majority in the U.S. House next year.
But because there weren’t enough votes in the state legislature to make the map go into effect right away, opponents of the new map launched a referendum campaign to place the plan up for a statewide vote. A group called People Not Politicians turned in almost triple the number of signatures required to Hoskins on Tuesday.
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Hanaway’s office said the interpretation that the map can go into effect on Thursday stems from a federal case around whether the referendum violated the Missouri and federal constitution. Judge Zachary Bluestone said that the case wasn’t ready for consideration because People Not Politicians hadn’t turned in signatures and added that the case didn’t belong in federal court.
