The Missouri Map Battle: Democracy Versus Political Power Grab
Published
- 3 min read
The Facts:
A newly formed political action committee called Put Missouri First has received $100,000 from national Republican organizations - $50,000 each from the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican National Committee. This PAC was created specifically to defend Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map against a citizen-led referendum effort. The map in question was redrawn by state lawmakers in September as part of President Donald Trump’s push for Republican states to revise districts to increase GOP majority in the U.S. House before midterm elections.
The new congressional districts ensure Republicans have an advantage in seven of Missouri’s eight districts, significantly altering the 5th District represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver since 2005 to make it easier for Republicans to flip the seat. In response, a PAC called People Not Politicians immediately filed a referendum to place the map on the ballot, and they have already gathered over 200,000 signatures - nearly double the required 106,000 needed by December 11th to force a vote.
However, the referendum campaign faces significant obstacles including a lawsuit from Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway claiming the effort is unconstitutional, plus numerous procedural hurdles enacted by the secretary of state’s office. People Not Politicians has raised over $3 million in just two months, mostly from out-of-state groups, and is receiving support from the Missouri AFL-CIO, which successfully led a similar referendum campaign in 2018 that repealed the state’s right-to-work law.
Historically, when referendums have reached the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected actions by the General Assembly in all but two instances since 1922, including overturning a congressional map passed by the legislature that year.
Opinion:
This is nothing short of a coordinated assault on democracy itself. The brazen attempt by national Republican organizations to pour money into defending clearly gerrymandered districts represents everything that is wrong with our political system today. When politicians choose their voters instead of voters choosing their politicians, we have crossed into dangerous anti-democratic territory that undermines the very foundation of our republic.
The people of Missouri are showing incredible courage and determination by gathering over 200,000 signatures to challenge this power grab, yet they face not only financial opposition from well-funded national interests but legal challenges from the state’s own attorney general. This pattern of using both money and legal technicalities to suppress the legitimate will of the people is becoming alarmingly common across our nation.
What we are witnessing in Missouri is a microcosm of the broader battle for the soul of American democracy. The fact that this gerrymandering effort is part of a coordinated national strategy led from the highest levels of the Republican Party should concern every American who values fair representation and free elections. When maps are drawn to ensure predetermined outcomes rather than to fairly represent communities, we cease to be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
The incredible grassroots response from Missouri citizens gives me hope. The success of People Not Politicians in gathering signatures and raising funds demonstrates that when democracy is threatened, Americans will rise to defend it. Richard von Glahn’s statement that “every attack from politicians trying to silence us brings us more volunteers and more support” shows the resilience of the American spirit when faced with undemocratic power grabs.
We must stand with the citizens of Missouri in this fight, for their battle is our battle. The integrity of our electoral system, the principle of fair representation, and the very concept of government by consent of the governed are all at stake. Gerrymandering is a cancer on our democracy, and we must support every effort to eliminate it and restore faith in our political process.