Missouri’s Jackson County Circuit Court ruled on Thursday that a lawsuit challenging the state’s newly drawn U.S. House district map does not meet the state’s constitutional compactness standard. Judge Adam Caine dismissed the case, leaving in place a redistricting plan that Democratic officials say is engineered to give Republicans an extra seat in the 2026 midterm elections.
The contested map, approved in a September special legislative session, reshapes the Kansas City‑area 5th Congressional District. Portions of the district were shifted to two neighboring seats already held by Republicans, and the remaining segment was extended eastward into heavily Republican rural counties. Plaintiffs argued the redesign “radically departs” from historical norms by splitting and stretching the district, thereby violating Missouri’s compactness provision.
In his ruling, Judge Caine acknowledged the plaintiffs’ concern that the plan separates urban Kansas City voters from rural constituents, but noted that Missouri’s own redistricting history includes similar mixes of urban and rural areas. He concluded that, while the 5th District may be less compact, the map as a whole is more compact overall and divides fewer local governments than the previous configuration.
Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, representing the state, hailed the decision as “a complete victory for Missouri and for the people’s elected representatives.” The American Civil Liberties Union and the Campaign Legal Center issued a joint statement warning that the ruling represents “a significant setback for fair representation in Missouri.”
The case does not close the redistricting dispute. A separate challenge asserting that mid‑decade redistricting is unconstitutional is now pending before the Missouri Supreme Court. Meanwhile, opponents have turned to a petition drive, gathering more than 300,000 signatures in an attempt to force a statewide referendum on the new congressional map.