Missouri AG Hanaway initiates process for Supreme Court appeal of congressional map ruling

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway Thursday asked the Missouri Supreme Court for a stay of its congressional map ruling. 

Hanaway said in a post on X that the filing is a necessary procedural step before an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the state's newly redrawn congressional maps cannot be used in November's midterm elections, ordering a referendum to determine whether the state can use the map going forward to appear on the ballot instead. 

The ruling means that the state will need to use its previous district lines in the fall elections instead, marking a significant blow to Republican efforts to redraw districts in ways that are more favorable to them. The new maps would have broken up Missouri Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s district in an effort to give the GOP an additional pickup opportunity in the House this November.

“Never before in American history has a court overturned a congressional map after a primary and before a general election. This unprecedented decision clearly violates federal law and has thrust our state into a full‑fledged constitutional crisis. Our office will move immediately to seek relief from. The Supreme Court of the United States. We are confident that the federal courts will not allow every Missouri voter to be disenfranchised—which is what today’s decision does," Hanaway said in a statement. 

Hanaway faces a difficult timeline. Ballots must be set by Tuesday under state law, and they will be mailed to voters shortly after, The Washington Post reported.