Missouri Court Upholds New GOP-Drawn Congressional Map

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A Jackson County circuit judge ruled that Missouri's new Republican-drawn congressional map can stand, clearing it for use in the upcoming midterm elections. The ruling is a significant blow to left-wing legal groups that had challenged the lines, arguing the map violated the state constitution. The judge disagreed, stating the plan complies with constitutional mandates.

Why it matters

The new map is expected to send seven Republicans to Congress from Missouri, reducing Democrats to a single seat. This has led to a fierce legal battle, with the ACLU, ACLU of Missouri, and Campaign Legal Center arguing the map unfairly advantages Republicans by dividing the Kansas City area across multiple districts.

The details

Missouri Republicans passed the new House map earlier this year, restructuring the Kansas City area by distributing it across multiple districts rather than concentrating it in a single urban stronghold. This targets the 5th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Emmanuel Cleaver for two decades. The new map would erase Cleaver's comfortable margin by redrawing the district entirely.

• The judge ruled on the case on Thursday, March 14, 2026.
• The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments in a separate challenge earlier this week, questioning whether the legislature was permitted to redraw congressional lines mid-decade under the state constitution.

What’s next

The ACLU, ACLU of Missouri, and Campaign Legal Center plan to appeal the ruling. The Missouri Supreme Court will also weigh in on a separate challenge questioning whether the legislature was permitted to redraw congressional lines mid-decade under the state constitution.