Missouri supreme court throws out new congressional maps backed by Trump

Key Points:

• The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously blocked the use of new congressional districts backed by Donald Trump for the November election, ordering a statewide vote to approve or reject the map first.
• The court ruled that a referendum petition submitted by citizens was valid, preventing the new districts from taking effect unless approved by voters, and reinstated the post-2020 census map for the 2024 general election.
• The decision marks a rare defeat for Republicans in a national redistricting effort aimed at gaining additional House seats to maintain their majority, though the ruling could be appealed to the US Supreme Court.
• The controversy followed a special legislative session called by the Missouri governor to redraw the fifth congressional district, with opponents submitting over 300,000 signatures for a referendum that was initially rejected by the Republican secretary of state.
• The ruling concludes a year of intense political and legal battles over mid-decade redistricting in Missouri, part of a broader national effort by Republicans to reshape districts for the 2024 midterms.