Missouri Judge Clears GOP-Favoring Congressional Map For 2026 Elections
Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled Wednesday, August 19, 2026 that Missouri's Republican-drawn congressional map can be used in the November 2026 general election, rejecting a bid for a statewide referendum.[1]
Green wrote that Missouri's constitutional referendum provisions "do not apply to congressional redistricting enacted by the General Assembly." Fox News He found Secretary of State Denny Hoskins acted lawfully when he refused to certify a petition challenging the map and ordered the GOP-backed plan to remain in full force and effect for the 2026 election.[2] Plaintiff Richard von Glahn filed an appeal on the evening of August 19, and opponents said they would seek review by the Missouri Supreme Court.[2]
Gov. Mike Kehoe called a special legislative session after President Trump urged GOP-led states to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms.[2] The legislature approved a plan that was already used in Missouri's August primaries and that reshaped the 5th District by splitting parts of Kansas City and extending far into GOP-leaning rural areas.[1] An Associated Press estimate cited in reporting found about 59% of voters in the redrawn 5th District are new to it.[1]
Republican attorneys had argued that changing lines after the August primaries would violate federal law and cause widespread voter confusion, and Judge Green said a post-primary swap would contravene federal requirements.[1] The appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court sets up a likely legal test that could determine whether the GOP-backed map remains through the November midterms.
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📌 Key Facts
- Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 that Missouri's constitutional referendum provisions "do not apply to congressional redistricting enacted by the General Assembly," siding with Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins (Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green).
- Green held that Denny Hoskins' refusal to certify the referendum petition challenging the congressional map was "lawful" and ordered that the GOP-backed map "remains in full force and effect for the 2026 general election" (Denny Hoskins).
- Plaintiff Richard von Glahn filed an appeal on the evening of Wednesday, August 19, 2026, according to the court docket, and opponents led by von Glahn immediately announced they will seek review by the Missouri Supreme Court (Richard von Glahn).
- The new map was already used for Missouri's August 2026 primaries, including the redrawn 5th District where Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin won the GOP primary while Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver ran unopposed; an Associated Press estimate cited in reporting says about 59% of voters in the reshaped 5th District are new to it, as the map splits parts of Kansas City and extends the district into GOP-leaning rural areas (redrawn 5th District).
- The revised map was enacted after Gov. Mike Kehoe called a special session in response to President Trump's push for GOP-led states to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms, making Missouri the second Republican-led state, after Texas, to adopt such changes (Gov. Mike Kehoe).
- Republican attorneys, including lawyers for Attorney General Catherine Hanaway's office and GOP committees, argued that changing district lines after the August primaries would violate federal law and cause "widespread voter confusion" and "erosion in confidence," and Judge Green agreed that a post-primary swap would contravene federal requirements (Attorney General Catherine Hanaway's office).
- It has been more than 100 years since a Missouri redistricting plan went to a referendum: the last time, in 1922, voters rejected a map passed by a Republican-led legislature (1922).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The Associated Press article confirms that Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green's ruling on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, explicitly allows the Trump-backed congressional districts to be used in the November 2026 general election and rejects a bid to force a statewide referendum on the map.
- The piece adds that Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the referendum petition on the same day as the August 2026 primaries, asserting Missouri's Constitution does not allow referendums on congressional redistricting, a view Judge Green adopted in his written opinion.
- Green's ruling states that "The Missouri Constitution does not supply any statement — let alone a clear one — reallocating authority over congressional redistricting away from the General Assembly to a referendum process," clarifying his legal reasoning.
- Opponents, led by Richard von Glahn of People Not Politicians, immediately announced they will appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court, signaling the next venue and confirming that the case is expected to move there.
- The article reiterates that the revised map was enacted after Gov. Mike Kehoe called a special session in response to President Trump's push for GOP-led states to redraw congressional maps ahead of the midterms, with the new design specifically aimed at making Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's 5th District more Republican by splitting Kansas City and extending far into GOP-leaning rural areas.
- Republican attorneys, including those for Attorney General Catherine Hanaway's office and GOP committees, argued that changing district lines after the August primaries would violate federal law and cause "widespread voter confusion" and "erosion in confidence"; Judge Green agreed, holding that a post-primary swap would contravene federal requirements.
- The article notes that it has been more than 100 years since a Missouri redistricting plan went to a referendum; in 1922 voters rejected a map passed by a Republican-led legislature.
- The Fox News article confirms that Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, that Missouri's constitutional referendum provisions "do not apply to congressional redistricting enacted by the General Assembly," explicitly siding with Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins.
- Green held that Hoskins' refusal to certify the referendum petition challenging the congressional map was "lawful" and ordered that the GOP-backed map "remains in full force and effect for the 2026 general election."
- The article specifies that plaintiff Richard von Glahn filed an appeal of Green's ruling on the evening of August 19, 2026, according to the court docket.
- Fox details that the map was already used for Missouri's August 2026 primaries, including in the redrawn 5th District where Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin won the GOP primary and Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver ran unopposed.
- The piece notes that about 59% of voters in the reshaped 5th District are new to it, citing an Associated Press estimate, and describes how the map splits portions of Kansas City and extends the district into Republican-leaning rural areas.
- The story links the special session and map to a broader Trump-backed push: it says Trump urged GOP-led states to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms and that Missouri became the second Republican-led state, after Texas, to do so.