Sen. Rick Brattin says voters "should be able to vote in the same districts for the general election"
Rick BrattinMissouri state senator, Republican nominee for the 5th Congressional District and plaintiff in the federal lawsuit
In a statement on the Eighth Circuit's ruling, Brattin said voters cast their primary ballots under the 2025 map and "should be able to vote in the same districts for the general election." He said changing the map halfway through an election forces people into different districts with candidates they had no chance to choose in the primary.
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.
“Voters cast their primary ballots under this map, and they should be able to vote in the same districts for the general election … Changing the map halfway through an election forces people into different districts with candidates they never had a chance to choose in the primary. That defies common sense and undermines the entire electoral process.”
Reporting
Reporting
Other statements by Rick Brattin in this case
- Sen. Rick Brattin calls the Supreme Court's decision "a travesty for Missouri voters"Later: Defended or excused
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
Reporting
About this source
KOMU reports the Eighth Circuit ruling and quotes Sen. Rick Brattin's full statement. The Missouri Independent and KSHB report the first sentence of the same statement.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Report on the Eighth Circuit's September 21 ruling, with statements from Sen. Rick Brattin and Richard von Glahn.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The Eighth Circuit ruled on September 21 that Missouri must use the 2025 map in November, and it stayed its order until September 28.
After the quotation
KOMU reported that Brattin is running in the 5th Congressional District, where the 2022 lines include a more liberal voter base than the 2025 lines.
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. Brattin argues that voters should vote in the same districts in the general election as in the primary, which defends using the 2025 map. The closest competing label, “Mixed or conditional”, loses because he states no condition on that position.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseRichard von Glahn says People Not Politicians is "done with corrupt politicians trying to force their map into effect"
“We are done with corrupt politicians trying to force their map into effect outside the process outlined in the Missouri constitution. We have said from the beginning, people, not politicians will be the final deciders on this DC power grab. We are moving forward to vote NO on Proposition A.”Read statement
The National Democratic Redistricting Committee says the Supreme Court "denied Missouri Republicans' third attempt to jam through their 2025 gerrymander"
National Democratic Redistricting Committee
“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"
“For more than a year, state officials have spent precious time, energy, and resources on an effort to silence the voices of Missouri voters and steal a congressional seat. Tonight, after more than 305,000 Missourians demanded a say, the Supreme Court has put this shameful and unlawful scheme to rest. Power to the people.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Sen. Rick Brattin says voters "should be able to vote in the same districts for the general election"
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/2679-in-a-statement-on-the-eighth-circuit-s
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Sen. Rick Brattin says voters "should be able to vote in the same districts for the general election"". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2679-in-a-statement-on-the-eighth-circuit-s