Missouri Supreme Court Unanimously Blocks Trump-Backed Congressional Map Ahead of Midterms

The Missouri Supreme Court has unanimously blocked a congressional map backed by United States President Donald Trump ahead of November’s midterm elections, restoring the state’s previous districts. Thursday’s ruling delivered a rare judicial rebuke to Trump in the national battle over redistricting, though Republican officials have already pledged to appeal.

At the center of the dispute is a congressional map signed into law in September 2025, which was designed to help Republicans secure an extra seat in the US House of Representatives. The partisan redistricting effort drew intense public backlash, leading nearly 300,000 Missouri residents to sign a petition to subject the new map to a public vote. Missouri’s Secretary of State Denny Hoskins initially rejected the petition as legally insufficient, triggering the legal battle that concluded with Thursday's state supreme court decision.

“The referendum petition was legal, sufficient, and timely, and the secretary incorrectly concluded otherwise,” the court wrote in its ruling, emphasizing that the Missouri Constitution permits such petitions without exception. The court features seven judges, five of whom were appointed by Republicans.

The ruling leaves Missouri in a complex situation with only two months remaining until the midterm elections and ballots soon to be printed. Questions also remain over whether a state's general election can utilize different congressional districts than its primaries. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway stated she would immediately appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court, labeling the ruling a “full-fledged constitutional crisis.” President Trump similarly denounced the decision on social media, calling it “horrible, ridiculous, and unConstitutional.”

Trump previously sparked the nationwide redistricting push last year when he encouraged Republican-led states to redraw maps mid-decade to help the party maintain control of the House. Approximately 10 states ultimately engaged in redistricting, while California redrew its map to favor Democrats.

The group People Not Politicians led the referendum petition campaign and celebrated the court's decision, which overturned a lower court ruling and barred the 2025 map from being used until approved by voters. The legal outcome will heavily impact key areas such as Missouri’s 5th congressional district, currently represented by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver.