Story perspectives

Missouri Supreme Court Upholds New Map, Boosts GOP Seats

5/14/2026

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Missouri Supreme Court Upholds Map

Voters who gathered more than 300,000 signatures to trigger a referendum were denied a pause on Missouri’s new congressional map.
The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously upheld the new congressional map, allowing its use in August primaries and the 2026 election.
The decision arrived less than six hours after oral arguments and rejected map’s legality challenge.
The ruling permits a district likely to flip Republican, expanding GOP representation in Missouri’s delegation.

Right

Trump Hails Win

President Donald Trump hailed Virginia Supreme Court’s strike down of a Democratic-backed congressional map as a huge win for Republicans.
State courts and Republican governors approved new congressional maps in Missouri, Louisiana, Tennessee and Florida for upcoming elections.
Gov. Jeff Landry postponed Louisiana’s May 16 U.S. House primary after the high court’s ruling.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill adding four right-leaning seats, expanding GOP’s 20-8 Florida delegation.

History

Historical Context

Supreme Court's 1962 Baker v. Carr decision, a 6-2 ruling, declared congressional redistricting justiciable under the Fourteenth Amendment, spawning the “one person, one vote” era and cases like Reynolds v. Sims (1964). Today Missouri and Virginia supreme courts cite that precedent to uphold Republican-favored maps, prompting praise from Donald Trump and actions by governors Landry and DeSantis.

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Missouri Supreme Court Upholds Map

Voters who gathered more than 300,000 signatures to trigger a referendum were denied a pause on Missouri’s new congressional map.
The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously upheld the new congressional map, allowing its use in August primaries and the 2026 election.
The decision arrived less than six hours after oral arguments and rejected map’s legality challenge.
The ruling permits a district likely to flip Republican, expanding GOP representation in Missouri’s delegation.

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