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Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and Missouri Republicans suffered blows Thursday after two Supreme Court reversals.The state's highest judicial authority ruled Hoskins did not have the authority to keep two key ballot measures out of the November general election.
The Supreme Court's decisions Thursday reversed the rulings of Cole County Presiding Judge Daniel Green last month. Green ruled in each case that Hoskins was within his right as Secretary of State to declare certificates of insufficiency on both measures, deeming them unconstitutional.The first was a referendum on state lawmakers' redrawn congressional map to give Republicans a likely 7-1 majority. The court all concurred to reverse in this case, with an opinion authored by Judge Ginger Gooch.
The second was a citizen-initiated petition to strengthen protections for the initiative petition process, titled Amendment 6. The court all concurred to reverse in this case, also with an opinion by Gooch.
The rulings represent a significant blow to Missouri Republicans' legislative agenda.In 2025, Gov. Mike Kehoe called a special session of the General Assembly to create the Missouri First Map, a gerrymandered layout that projected to flip the 5th Congressional District in the GOP's favor. Voters in the newly redrawn district, which now includes Cole County, elected Rick Brattin as the Republican candidate to face incumbent Emanuel Cleaver in November.
By reversing Hoskins' decision and declaring the referendum valid, the court has now called for the previous congressional map to be in effect in November.
Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and Missouri Republicans suffered blows Thursday after two Supreme Court reversals.The state's highest judicial authority ruled Hoskins did not have the authority to keep two key ballot measures out of the November general election.
The Supreme Court's decisions Thursday reversed the rulings of Cole County Presiding Judge Daniel Green last month. Green ruled in each case that Hoskins was within his right as Secretary of State to declare certificates of insufficiency on both measures, deeming them unconstitutional.The first was a referendum on state lawmakers' redrawn congressional map to give Republicans a likely 7-1 majority. The court all concurred to reverse in this case, with an opinion authored by Judge Ginger Gooch.
The second was a citizen-initiated petition to strengthen protections for the initiative petition process, titled Amendment 6. The court all concurred to reverse in this case, also with an opinion by Gooch.
The rulings represent a significant blow to Missouri Republicans' legislative agenda.In 2025, Gov. Mike Kehoe called a special session of the General Assembly to create the Missouri First Map, a gerrymandered layout that projected to flip the 5th Congressional District in the GOP's favor. Voters in the newly redrawn district, which now includes Cole County, elected Rick Brattin as the Republican candidate to face incumbent Emanuel Cleaver in November.
By reversing Hoskins' decision and declaring the referendum valid, the court has now called for the previous congressional map to be in effect in November.