A Missouri judge handed President Donald Trump and Republicans a major redistricting victory Wednesday, ruling that the state's referendum process cannot be used to challenge congressional maps drawn by the Legislature and allowing a new GOP-friendly map to remain in place for November's midterm elections.

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled Wednesday that Missouri's constitutional referendum provisions \"do not apply to congressional redistricting enacted by the General Assembly,\" siding with Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in a closely watched fight over a Trump-backed map that could help determine control of the U.S. House.

Green also ruled that Hoskins' decision not to certify the referendum petition was \"lawful\" and ordered that the Republican-backed congressional map \"remains in full force and effect for the 2026 general election.\"

TRUMP ALLIES NOTCH REDISTRICTING WIN AS JUDGES FIND NO 'SMOKING GUN' TO SCRAP RED STATE MAP

Plaintiff Richard von Glahn appealed the ruling Wednesday evening, according to thecourt docket.

The ruling preserves a map passed by Missouri's Republican-led Legislature after Trump urged GOP-controlled states to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the2026 midterms.

The new boundaries are aimed at giving Republicans an opportunity to defeat Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City. Missouri's current eight-member House delegation consists of six Republicans and two Democrats.

The map splits portions of Kansas City between neighboring Republican-held districts and stretches the remainder of Cleaver's 5th Congressional District east into Republican-heavy rural areas. About 59% of voters in the reshaped district are new to it, according to anAssociated Press estimate.

TRUMP URGES REPUBLICANS TO 'BE BOLD' AS RED STATES PUSH TO REWRITE CONGRESSIONAL MAPS

Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin won the GOP primary in the redrawn district earlier this month, while Cleaver was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

The new boundaries were already used in Missouri's August primaries.

Opponents collected thousands of signatures seeking to force a statewide referendum on the map, but Hoskins rejected the petition, arguing that Missouri's Constitution does not allow congressional redistricting to be put to a referendum.

Green agreed, entering judgment for Hoskins and the Republican National Committee,National Republican Congressional Committeeand Missouri Republican State Committee, which intervened in the case.

BLOCKBUSTER SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS RULING IGNITES REDISTRICTING WAR ACROSS SOUTHERN STATES

The Missouri fight is part of a broadernational redistricting battleahead of November.

Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe called lawmakers into aspecial sessionlast year after Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the midterms.

Missouri became the second Republican-led state, after Texas, to pursue new congressional boundaries as part of that push.

Green's ruling leaves the Trump-backed map in place while the case moves to the appeals court.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

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Missouri Judge Allows Trump-Backed Congressional Map

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