Supreme Court blocks new electoral map

TT-AP

 

Published 17.11

 

Missouri politicians' attempts to redraw electoral districts have met with public protests outside the legislature in Jefferson City. File photo. Photo: David A. Lieb/AP/TT

In a new setback for President Donald Trump and the Republicans, the Supreme Court is blocking Missouri's attempt to redraw the state's electoral map.

The decision appears to pave the way for using the old district boundaries in the November midterm elections. It is a loss for the state's governing Republicans, who had hoped that redrawing the map would allow them to win an additional seat in the House of Representatives.

This marks the second time the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to intervene to allow the new map to take effect, meaning a previous ruling by the Missouri Supreme Court blocking the move remains in force.

Missouri was the second Republican-led state, after Texas, to adopt new electoral districts following a call to do so by Trump last year.