The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a new congressional map that could help Republicans gain an additional seat in November’s midterm elections. The court ruled unanimously in favor of the map, which had been challenged by voters concerned about its compactness and territorial integrity, according to attorneys.
The court’s decision came hours after arguments and affirmed a March lower court ruling that the map met legal standards. Critics argued that the map significantly distorts districts, especially a Kansas City-based seat previously represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. Opponents said the map stretches a compact urban district into an uneven 200-mile span across 15 counties.
Meanwhile, efforts to pass a redistricting plan in South Carolina stalled. The state Senate voted 29-17 against allowing lawmakers to return after the regular session to consider new district boundaries. The move was seen as a setback for Republican efforts to eliminate the state’s only Democratic-held seat. President Donald Trump had urged South Carolina senators to postpone June 9 primaries to redraw districts, but the chamber fell two votes short of the two-thirds majority needed.
In Louisiana, state Sen. Jay Morris, a Republican, acknowledged receiving death threats after a contentious hearing over proposed redistricting bills. During the session, Morris told the public to “shut up,” and the Louisiana Democratic Party accused him of using a racial slur. State Sen. Gary Carter, a Black Democrat, withdrew from the redistricting committee to restore decorum and later apologized for losing his temper during the proceedings.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
