Mo. court sides with redistricting challengers; Wallingford remains committed to Senate race

The Missouri Supreme Court's decision to strike down new state Senate districts Tuesday created uncertainty across Missouri, but Rep. Wayne Wallingford said that it didn't shake his campaign plans.

The Cape Girardeau Republican is still in. Even if a new map puts him in a contest with close friend and fellow GOP member Rep. Ellen Brandom of Sikeston.

"No matter what happens, I'm running," Wallingford said Tuesday from his Jefferson City office.

The state's high court set the Capitol -- and the rest of Missouri -- ablaze with talk of what the ruling means for Missouri's 2012 election season just weeks before candidates are to begin filing for office.

The ruling also called for further legal review of new congressional boundaries, ordering a trial judge to conduct a hearing and make a judgment by Feb. 3 on claims that the new congressional districts violate the state constitution because they were not drawn compactly.

The seven-member court invalidated the new state Senate districts, ruling that a plan submitted by a special panel of judges violated the state constitution by dividing Jackson and Greene counties into too many separate districts. The court also ruled that the judicial panel exceeded its authority when it attempted to replace its original map with a new one that included fewer county divisions.

The result of Tuesday's ruling is that the Senate redistricting process must start all over, with Gov. Jay Nixon appointing a new bipartisan citizens' commission to attempt to draw boundaries. Seven of the 10 commission members must agree on a new map for it to be approved. If that group fails, the responsibility would again fall to a panel of judges.

Late Tuesday, Nixon announced he had sent letters to the GOP and Democratic state party chairs, asking them to each submit nominees to serve on the bipartisan apportionment commission. The governor will select five citizens from each list of 10 submitted by each party. Nixon urged the parties to work quickly.

It was not immediately clear whether the Senate redistricting process could be completed in time for the Feb. 28 start of candidacy filing. Legislators in Jefferson City talked Tuesday about possibly moving back the March 27 filing deadline to give the commission time to work.

But senatorial candidates in Southeast Missouri said that they would basically just have to wait to see what a new map looks like.

Wallingford only announced his Senate candidacy Monday for the 3rd District seat, which -- under the map that was struck down -- would have included Cape Girardeau, Perry, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve counties.

However a new map looks, Wallingford said, Cape Girardeau is still home to an open seat. Sen. Jason Crowell, who represents the existing 27th District, is being forced out by term limits. The 27th is made up of Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Mississippi, Perry and Scott counties.

Wallingford had supported Brandom in her bid to run for the Senate in the 27th, but after a new map came out, she opted to run in the 25th District, where she was to face Rep. Billy Pat Wright, R-Dexter.

Wallingford acknowledged the possibility of having to run against Brandom if a new map includes Scott and Cape Girardeau counties. But he said even if that happens, he's not dropping out.

"Ellen would have to decide if she's going to run against me," he said. " ... It would be an interesting twist of fate if I ended up having to face her."

Brandom said in a brief interview that she remains committed to running in the 27th District.

Wallingford had been set to run against former Perryville representative Pat Naeger and Farmington businessman Gary Romine and he still might. Each of those candidates basically said they would play the hand they're dealt and run in whatever district they're in.

"When it comes to judges, you never know what's going to happen," Naeger said. "But I can't expend too much brain power. It just doesn't do any good. For now, we just have to wait and see what happens."

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

The Associated Press contributed to this report.