{"id":2660923,"date":"2026-09-14T13:17:02","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T17:17:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignmissouri-freedom-caucus-eyes-judicial-reform-after-state-redistricting-debacle\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T13:23:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T17:23:30","slug":"utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignmissouri-freedom-caucus-eyes-judicial-reform-after-state-redistricting-debacle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignmissouri-freedom-caucus-eyes-judicial-reform-after-state-redistricting-debacle\/","title":{"rendered":"Missouri Lawmakers Eye Judicial Reform After Redistricting Snafu"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Futm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignmissouri-freedom-caucus-eyes-judicial-reform-after-state-redistricting-debacle%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2660923&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Missouri Freedom Caucus (MOFC) is advocating for reforms to the state&#8217;s judicial and electoral systems amid a controversial Missouri Supreme Court ruling that disrupted the upcoming November elections. The court&#8217;s decision required Missouri to use its 2022 congressional map rather of the newly approved 2025 map, which aimed to favor Republicans.This ruling has prompted political and legal battles, including appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, which temporarily paused the lower court&#8217;s order, allowing Missouri to proceed with the 2022 map for the midterms. MOFC plans to pursue redistricting reforms, including potentially adopting an all-Republican congressional map, and aims to alter judicial appointment procedures by revising the &#8220;Missouri Plan.&#8221; This plan currently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ramaswamy-says-campaign-will-overperform-expectations-in-early-primary-states\/\" title=\"Ramaswamy predicts campaign will exceed expectations in early primaries\">emphasizes merit-based<\/a>, partisan-free selection processes, but proposals are underway to give the state Senate more control over judicial nominations.The caucus also seeks broader political reforms, motivated in part by recent court decisions and actions by officials like Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who faced legal challenges and opposition for his handling of the redistricting referendum process. these efforts reflect ongoing debates over electoral fairness, judicial independence, and legislative reform in missouri.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>DALLAS, Texas \u2014 The Missouri Freedom Caucus (MOFC) is eyeing reforms to the state\u2019s judicial system following a contentious Missouri Supreme Court ruling that\u2019s thrown the upcoming November elections into chaos.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot only are we going to be talking about judicial reform in a number of different bills, [but] we\u2019re also going to be talking about implementing an eight-zero map here in the next couple years,\u201d MOFC Chair and State Sen. Nick Schroer told The Federalist at this past weekend\u2019s State Freedom Caucus Network Summit. <\/p>\n<p>The Show Me State has garnered nationwide attention in recent weeks following a Sept. 3 decision by the Missouri Supreme Court. That ruling effectively <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/missouri-high-court-blocks-gop-backed-congressional-maps-ahead-midterms-trump-blasts-ridiculous-ruling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">directed<\/a> the state to use its 2022 congressional map as opposed to its 2025 map. <\/p>\n<p>As The Federalist previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/09\/10\/scotus-blocks-missouri-from-using-gop-backed-congressional-map-for-midterms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>, the Missouri Legislature and Gov. Mike Kehoe approved the new map in question in September 2025. It sought to move the state from a six Republican-two Democrat map to a seven Republican-one Democrat map. <\/p>\n<p>A group of activists later filed signatures supporting a petition to have a statewide referendum on the new map placed on the 2026 fall ballot. GOP Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a former MOFC member, declined the petition last month, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotusblog.com\/2026\/09\/missouri-urges-supreme-court-to-allow-for-use-of-congressional-map-expected-to-aid-republicans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arguing<\/a> that the Missouri Constitution \u201cdoes not authorize a referendum on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignfederal-judge-reinstates-missouris-new-election-map-after-kavanaugh-declines-to-get-involved\/\" title=\"Judge Restores ...&#039;s New Congressional Map For Midterms\">congressional redistricting plans passed<\/a> by the General Assembly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rejecting Hoskins\u2019 claims, the Missouri Supreme Court held in its Sept. 3 ruling that \u201cthe plain language of \u2026 the Missouri Constitution authorizes a referendum as to \u2018any act of the general assembly\u2019 and no exception applies.\u201d As a result, the state court permitted the referendum to appear on the fall ballot and blocked the state from using the 2025 map for the November contest.<\/p>\n<p>Hoskins and Missouri officials quickly filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court days before ballots were expected to be finalized. In asking the justices to pause the Missouri Supreme Court\u2019s decision, they noted how the state primaries had already been held under the 2025 map, and that the state court\u2019s ruling \u201cundoubtedly will require the winners of the Primary Election to run in dramatically different districts for the General Election.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While Justice Brett Kavanaugh \u2014 who oversees applications from the 8th Circuit \u2014 denied the state\u2019s request without explanation on Sept. 8, Missouri-based Chief District Judge Stephen Clark issued a temporary restraining order shortly afterwards in a different case. He mandated that Missouri use its 2025 map for the midterms, with Missouri officials \u2014 including Haskins \u2014 indicating their willingness to follow Clark\u2019s ruling. <\/p>\n<p>Left-wing challengers quickly appealed the decision to the 8th Circuit, which declined their request to freeze Clark\u2019s ruling. Their subsequent appeal to SCOTUS proved more successful, however. The justices published an unexplained decision last week <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/09\/10\/scotus-blocks-missouri-from-using-gop-backed-congressional-map-for-midterms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pausing<\/a> Clark\u2019s TRO, which means Missouri will use its 2022 map for the midterm elections. <\/p>\n<p>Speaking with The Federalist, Schroer argued that the proposed 2025 map is \u201ca more constitutionally sound map than what the legislature passed in 2022,\u201d and that the 2022 map being used for the midterms \u201cis actually gerrymandered.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou look at the different counties that it cuts in half versus what we did, putting a lot of these communities back together, more compact, more contiguous. The news media is not talking about that,\u201d said Schroer, who <a href=\"https:\/\/missouriindependent.com\/2022\/01\/18\/missouri-house-votes-down-7-1-congressional-map-during-redistricting-debate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">introduced<\/a> a seven Republican-one Democrat map while in the state House in 2022. <\/p>\n<p>The Republican state senator further signaled that the Missouri Freedom Caucus is prepared to take the lead on pushing the Show Me State to adopt an eight Republican-zero Democrat map, even <a href=\"https:\/\/news.ballotpedia.org\/2026\/09\/09\/missouri-voters-to-decide-congressional-map-referendum-in-november-after-court-ruling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">if voters approve<\/a> the 2025 map this fall. The telegraphed move comes in light of the Supreme Court\u2019s recent <em>Louisiana v. Callais<\/em> decision effectively kneecapping states\u2019 ability to engage in race-based redistricting. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the Voting Rights Act being modified here recently, we have one minority-majority district in the city of St. Louis where Wesley Bell is. Cori Bush used to hold that district. That\u2019s going to have to be modified,\u201d Schroer said. <\/p>\n<p>Redistricting is hardly the only reform the MOFC is looking at in future sessions. It\u2019s also examining potential avenues to alter the process for appointing judges in the state. <\/p>\n<p>In 1940, Missouri voters <a href=\"https:\/\/yourmissourijudges.org\/the-missouri-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">adopted<\/a> the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/constitution\/missouri\/article-v\/section-25-a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Non-\u00adPartisan Court Plan<\/a>\u201d as part of the state constitution. Often dubbed the \u201cMissouri Plan,\u201d the provision guarantees a \u201cmerit-based judicial selection\u201d in which an unelected <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Missouri_Appellate_Judicial_Commission\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nominating commission<\/a> plays a significant role in determining who will be considered for many state judgeships.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, Missouri Supreme Court justices \u201care chosen through assisted appointment in which the governor selects a nominee from a [three-person] list provided by a nominating commission,\u201d as described by <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Judicial_selection_in_Missouri\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ballotpedia<\/a>. After serving for one year, the appointed justices must then \u201cstand for retention in the next general election.\u201d If successful, they serve for 12-year terms. <\/p>\n<p>MOFC member and State Rep. Darin Chappell introduced a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billtrack50.com\/billdetail\/1921143\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">constitutional amendment<\/a> aimed at reforming the Missouri Plan earlier this year. Among its numerous proposals, the measure included a provision that would grant the state Senate the power to consider and approve state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals nominees put forward by the governor.<\/p>\n<p>While the resolution <a href=\"https:\/\/house.mo.gov\/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR153&#038;year=2026&#038;code=R\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">died<\/a> before the end of the session, MOFC member and State Rep. Burt Whaley told The Federalist that the caucus \u201csee[s] that going forward again.\u201d He specifically expressed hope that the Missouri Supreme Court\u2019s recent redistricting decision will give the measure the momentum it needs to get across the finish line.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s going to have a whole lot more meaning this time because we\u2019ve seen what the Missouri Supreme Court has chosen to do,\u201d Whaley said. <\/p>\n<p>As Whaley further alluded to, the Missouri Supreme Court has also caught flack in recent weeks for its targeting of Hoskins for his decision to follow Clark\u2019s initial TRO mandating the use of the state\u2019s 2025 congressional map. The Show Me State\u2019s high court <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wgem.com\/2026\/09\/14\/missouri-secretary-state-avoids-being-held-contempt-us-supreme-court-reverts-state-previous-congressional-districts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ruled<\/a> that the secretary had engaged in civil contempt for such actions but found that he purged his contempt by ordering the use of the 2022 map following the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s ruling on the matter. <\/p>\n<p>A coalition of Missouri voters who signed the petition for the statewide referendum on the 2025 map <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/obscure-missouri-law-lawsuit-denny-hoskins-12436360\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">filed<\/a> a lawsuit against Hoskins over the debacle on Friday. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/fox2now.com\/news\/missouri\/missouri-voters-sue-denny-hoskins-seek-80-million-over-redistricting-referendum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">local media<\/a>, they\u2019re seeking an estimated $80 million \u201cin damages for voters over his handling\u201d of the referendum. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cDenny Hoskins [is] very courageous [and] very tenacious,\u201d Whaley said. \u201cI don\u2019t know how many secretaries of states would put up with what he\u2019s been taking.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>MOFC plans judicial reforms after Missouri Supreme Court chaos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2660924,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Missouri-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[35277,4762,8584,16985],"class_list":["post-2660923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-judicial-reform","tag-legislation","tag-missouri","tag-redistricting"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Missouri-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2660923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2660923"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2660923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2660932,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2660923\/revisions\/2660932"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2660924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2660923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2660923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2660923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}