Two groups are considering a petition drive to force a referendum on Missouri's new 7-1 congressional map, potentially freezing it until a statewide vote next year, according to House Minority Leader Ashley Aune. This potential referendum follows the Missouri state Senate passing its new congressional map on September 12th, sending it to Governor Mike Kehoe for signature, as reported by PollTracker2024. Aune stated, "I expect a citizens referendum as soon as this passes the Senate." If successful, the signature gathering could freeze the map until an up-or-down statewide vote held next year, potentially impacting the finalization of ballots for the August 2026 primary. Missouri has a 92% chance of redistricting before the 2026 elections, with one seat expected to be affected, according to Kalshi data shared by OpenSourceZone. Texas has the highest odds at 98% for redistricting, affecting five seats. In unrelated developments, former Representative Yadira Caraveo announced her withdrawal from the race for Colorado's 8th Congressional District on September 12th. Separately, a Secret Service agent was placed on administrative leave for negative comments made on Facebook regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Kash Patel posted a tribute to Kirk on X on September 12th at 6:02 PM UTC. Concerns have also been raised about misinformation spread via bots following Kirk's death, and immigration agents encountered protesters defending workers in Rochester, New York, on September 12th.
