Missouri Supreme Court Blocks Trump-Backed Congressional Map — Voting Begins as GOP Pledges $500M to Save Majorities

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In a sweeping rebuke to President Donald Trump and Republican redistricting efforts, the Missouri Supreme Court unanimously blocked a new GOP-drawn congressional map from being used in November’s midterm elections, ordering a statewide referendum on whether voters will accept or reject the map . Hours later, Trump pledged up to $500 million from his MAGA Inc. super PAC to rescue Republican candidates — as North Carolina became the first state to begin sending out mail ballots.

Missouri Supreme Court: A Unanimous Rebuke

The Missouri Supreme Court’s Thursday ruling overturned Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ decision to reject a referendum petition signed by more than 300,000 Missourians . The court found that the petition was “legal, sufficient, and timely” and that Hoskins “incorrectly concluded otherwise” .

“The referendum petition was legal, sufficient, and timely, and the secretary incorrectly concluded otherwise.”
— Missouri Supreme Court

The ruling’s immediate impact:

The new Republican-drawn map cannot be used in the November general election
Missouri will use the 2022 congressional map for the 2026 midterms
Voters will decide in November whether to uphold or reject the new map
The new map will not go into effect unless voters approve it

The new map had been designed to transform Missouri’s current 6-2 Republican majority into a 7-1 GOP advantage by dismantling the Kansas City-based district of longtime Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver . The ruling effectively saves Cleaver’s seat.

“Despite the cynical and deeply shameful attempt to silence many of our neighbors, the people fought back and won. This reaffirms that the people should choose their politicians, not the other way around.”
— Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO)

Missouri Appeals to U.S. Supreme Court

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway immediately announced the state would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court .

“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.”
— Catherine Hanaway, Missouri Attorney General

The appeal argues that the ruling “inflicts unprecedented chaos on Missouri” and that the state is “genuinely unsure whether it can switch its governing congressional map in time to run a timely federal election” .

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who handles emergency appeals from the region, has asked critics of the map to respond to the appeal by Monday, Sept. 7 . Tuesday, Sept. 8, is the deadline for changing the November ballot .

Trump Pledges $500 Million to Save GOP Majorities

On Friday, Trump told reporters he plans to allocate $400 million to $500 million from his MAGA Inc. super PAC to boost Republican candidates in the November midterms . Trump said the fund currently holds about $1 billion .

“I’m going to spend whatever amount of money necessary to try to help us.”
— President Donald Trump

The spending has already begun:

MAGA Inc. has disclosed $10 million in ad buys supporting Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton
Trump has vowed to campaign in 35 races in the final 30 days before the election
The PAC is targeting key battleground House and Senate races

The spending push comes as Republicans face an increasingly difficult political landscape, with Democrats holding an 8-point lead on the generic congressional ballot and voters blaming Trump for the cost of living and the Iran war.

Voting Begins: North Carolina Sends First Mail Ballots

Voting in the U.S. midterm elections effectively began Friday as North Carolina became the first state to send out mail ballots for contests expected to threaten Trump’s Republican control of Congress .

North Carolina is first because its state statute requires county boards to begin sending absentee ballots 60 days before a general election — one of the earliest start dates in the country . Other states will soon follow, including Alabama on Sept. 9.

The mail voting process is unfolding amid a churning legal battle over Trump’s attempts to restrict the practice. A federal judge has extended her block on Trump’s executive order limiting mail voting , and the administration has again asked the Supreme Court to allow its mail ballot rule to take effect .

The Bottom Line

The Missouri Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling blocking Trump’s congressional map is a significant blow to Republican redistricting efforts, potentially saving Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s seat and complicating GOP hopes of maintaining their narrow House majority . Missouri has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but with less than 60 days until the election, time is running out .

Meanwhile, Trump is pouring up to $500 million into the final stretch of the campaign — a sign of deep GOP anxiety about retaining control of Congress . And voting has officially begun, with North Carolina sending the first mail ballots of the 2026 midterm election .

For working families, the stakes couldn’t be higher: control of Congress, the cost of living, and the future of voting rights are all on the ballot.

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