Rep. Bob Onder says invalidating the primary would "invalidate our whole electoral process by judicial fiat"
Bob OnderU.S. Representative for Missouri's 3rd District and lead plaintiff in the federal lawsuit, interviewed on 97.1 FM Talk
In a radio interview the morning after the Eighth Circuit's ruling, Onder said that invalidating a primary in which 1.2 million Missourians voted would "invalidate our whole electoral process by judicial fiat." He called the Supreme Court of Missouri's decision very bad and the Eighth Circuit's decision excellent.
Responding to
Because Missouri held its August primary under the 2025 map, the U.S. Constitution requires it to use that same map in the November general election, and using the 2022 map instead would violate Article I, Section 2 and equal protection.
“to invalidate a primary in which 1.2 million Missourians chose their primary candidates is really to invalidate our whole electoral process by judicial fiat. A very bad decision by the Missouri Supreme Court, an excellent decision yesterday by the Eighth Circuit.”
Interview
Original text
Reporting
Other statements by Bob Onder in this case
Every statement by Bob Onder
Where this statement fits
Should Missouri be allowed to use its 2025 congressional map in the 2026 general election?
Missouri lawmakers passed a new congressional map, House Bill 1, in September 2025, and the State used it in the August 4, 2026 primary. On September 3, 2026, the Supreme Court of Missouri ruled unanimously that a referendum petition kept the map from taking effect and that the 2022 map remains in force for the November general election. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and President Donald Trump said in early September that the primary map should be used in November, and the Eighth Circuit held on September 21 that using the 2022 map violates the U.S. Constitution. People Not Politicians, the Campaign Legal Center and the ACLU argued that Missouri law makes the 2022 map the only valid map and that ballots had been mailed under it. On September 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court, in an unsigned per curiam order that records no dissent, stayed the federal injunctions, said that under state law the 2022 map must be used, and said lower courts should not require use of the 2025 map in the 2026 election. Kehoe called that decision disappointing and said Missouri will follow the order.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
Radio interview posted by 97.1 FM Talk the morning after the Eighth Circuit's September 21 ruling. The host describes Onder as the lead plaintiff in the federal case. The quoted passage is Onder's answer about the primary election.
Original text
About this source
Published per curiam opinion affirming Chief Judge Stephen Clark's temporary restraining order and directing entry of a permanent injunction requiring the 2025 map, with the injunction administratively stayed until September 28, 2026 at 5 p.m. Central time. Judge Stras concurred in part and dissented in part, writing that he would dismiss the appeal because People Not Politicians and Richard von Glahn lack standing.
Reporting
About this source
Report on the Supreme Court's September 25 order, with the sequence of court actions since September 3, the filings of Missouri and the plaintiffs, and county election officials' account of absentee voting under the 2022 map.
Before the quotation
On September 21, the Eighth Circuit held that using the 2022 map in the November general election violates the Constitution. Onder and Sen. Rick Brattin had sued Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in federal court on September 4.
After the quotation
In the same interview, Onder said he hoped the U.S. Supreme Court would deny certiorari and that a yes vote on Proposition A would be a vote for the 2025 map.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is use of the 2025 map in the 2026 general election. Onder argues that using a different map in the general election would nullify the primary and praises the ruling that requires the 2025 map, which defends that use. The closest competing label, condemns, does not fit because his criticism targets the state court's decision, not the use of the map.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Supreme Court of Missouri
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The National Democratic Redistricting Committee says the Supreme Court "denied Missouri Republicans' third attempt to jam through their 2025 gerrymander"
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“BREAKING: SCOTUS just denied Missouri Republicans' third attempt to jam through their 2025 gerrymander! 👏 This reaffirms what the state's highest court already said weeks ago — the 2025 map was never the law. Missouri Republicans tried to silence voters. Today, they lost.”Read statement
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver says the Supreme Court "put this shameful and unlawful scheme to rest"
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The Dispute Index. "Rep. Bob Onder says invalidating the primary would "invalidate our whole electoral process by judicial fiat"". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2678-in-a-radio-interview-the-morning-after-the