On Tuesday of this week, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-5) responded in a press release on the Supreme Court of the United States ruling. “The people of the great State of Missouri prevailed. The Supreme Court of the United States affirmed Missourians constitutional right to have their voices heard and to vote this November on whether to approve or reject the mid-decade redrawing of our congressional districts. I applaud the Courts decision affirming the right of Missouri citizens to hold their government accountable through the referendum process. More than 305,000 Missourians signed the citizen- led petition demanding the opportunity to have their voices heard at the ballot box.
The political maneuvering surrounding these congressional maps must now give way to the will of the people. Missourians not politicians in Jefferson City or Washington will have the opportunity to decide the future of these congressional districts.
I believe Missourians will reject this politically motivated attempt to redraw congressional districts in the middle of the decade, without the benefit of a new Census. Voters understand what is at stake and deserve a fair and transparent process for determining their representation.
My commitment to representing Missouri’s 5th Congressional District remains unwavering. When candidate filing opened, I was first in line to file because I was ready to run, ready to fight for the people of this district, and ready to win.
Every day in Congress, I remain focused on the issues that matter to Missouri families like my efforts leading on the bipartisan affordable housing law recently passed, lowering costs at the grocery store and pump, expanding access to affordable healthcare, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and ensuring seniors receive the benefits they have earned.
I know the people of Missouri. They are good, decent, hardworking people who believe their voices matter. I trust them to make their voices heard this November both in deciding who represents them in Congress and in determining the future of Missouri’s congressional map. I am confident that the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court will prevail regardless of the temporary order granted in U.S. Federal District Court of Eastern Missouri,” said Cleaver.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe took to social media and stated, “We are grateful for Chief Judge Clark’s decision to provide much needed clarity for Missouri voters and election process. With today marking the deadline for changes to the November ballot, the Missouri First map will be used in the general election. Voters and candidates deserve consistency, certainty and not to have the rules changed between elections,” said Kehoe.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway stated, “We appreciate Judge Clark’s support of the rights of Missouri voters, and intend to comply with this federal ruling. We maintain that changing the congressional map in between the primary and general elections is simply not feasible and profoundly unjust,” said Hanaway.
