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A Missouri judge handed President Donald Trump and Republicans a major redistricting victory Wednesday, ruling that the state's referendum process cannot be used to challenge congressional maps drawn by the Legislature and allowing a new GOP-friendly map to remain in place for November's midterm elections.Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled Wednesday 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 in a closely watched fight over a Trump-backed map that could help determine control of the U.S.House.Green also ruled that Hoskins' decision not to certify the referendum petition was "lawful" and ordered that the Republican-backed congressional map "remains in full force and effect for the 2026 general election."TRUMP ALLIES NOTCH REDISTRICTING WIN AS JUDGES FIND NO 'SMOKING GUN' TO SCRAP RED STATE MAPA woman wears a "The Handmaid's Tale" costume as protesters demonstrate against the state's redistricting maps inside the rotunda of the Missouri Capitol Building in Jefferson City, Mo.
(Michael Thomas/Getty Images, File)Plaintiff Richard von Glahn appealed the ruling Wednesday evening, according to the court docket.The ruling preserves a map passed by Missouri's Republican-led Legislature after Trump urged GOP-controlled states to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterms.The new boundaries are aimed at giving Republicans an opportunity to defeat Democratic Rep.Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City.
Missouri's current eight-member House delegation consists of six Republicans and two Democrats.The map splits portions of Kansas City between neighboring Republican-held districts and stretches the remainder of Cleaver's 5th Congressional District east into Republican-heavy rural areas.About 59% of voters in the reshaped district are new to it, according to an Associated Press estimate.TRUMP URGES REPUBLICANS TO 'BE BO...