Bob Onder

So they voted in the fifth congressional for, say, Rick Bratton or even Emanuel Cleaver.

Now they're going to be going to the ballot box and they're going to be voting for Bob Onder in the third congressional district or Mark Alford in the fourth congressional district or Chris DeGaulle.

I mean, now, if the people wanted to do a referendum, that that whole process worked its way out.

And unfortunately, the timelines just didn't work in the favor of Republicans.

Correct

... to Bob Onder, right?

Yes.

Yes.

I mean, like, that was, so Congressman Onder was your representative, but you are going to be losing him, you know, under the new map, right? Which means that...

I mean, when you went and voted, like, for the primary, you were not voting for Bob Onder.

Like, you were voting-

Mm.

Because the state deadline as far as finalizing the maps, according to state law, was Tuesday, September 8th at 5 p.m. And so if I would have not said anything, then I would probably be getting sued because I didn't make a decision by the state deadline, according to state law, at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

He was basing that decision on a ruling in a separate federal case where Congressman Bob Onder argued that utilizing anything other than the new map would disenfranchise voters under the U.S. Constitution because the Missouri first map was used in the primary election.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark agreed, issuing a 14-day temporary restraining order that mandates Hoskins not use the old maps.

I chose to campaign in and then come January represent a district that is dramatically different than the third congressional district that I ran and won in 2024.

They had no idea what they were voting on.

They were shocked to find out they weren't voting for Bob Onder and they were voting for me, whatever it may be.

And so it really was that this was the goal.

I believe that Secretary Hoskins and Attorney General Hannaway and Governor Kehoe, the goal was chaos because it plays in the favor of the incumbents.

The federal case I mentioned, still active.

There are arguments next week, and Missouri Republican Congressman Bob Onder, one of the parties in it, said yesterday it's not over, but redistricting opponents say there's not enough time for the case, only a week before ballots start going out.

Some legal experts told me the US Supreme Court's move to block the GOP map already indicates what it would do if the case comes back to there again.

Although I'm sure the justices would insist that is not the case.

The courts have settled this.

Now it's up to Missouri voters to finish the job and vote no on Proposition A. Republican Congressman Bob Onder, who sued to keep the new map in place, said, quote, this isn't over, noting a federal appeals court will still hear arguments on the case's merits.

I'm Scott Baba.

You're listening to the Pacific Evening News.