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SCOTUS Rejects Missouri GOP Bid to Use Revised Congressional Map in Midterms
Confirmed
In Short: The Supreme Court denied Missouri's emergency appeal to use a revised Republican-backed congressional map for the upcoming midterm elections, upholding a state supreme court ruling that blocked the map's use.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday denied Missouri's emergency appeal to use a revised Republican-backed congressional map in the November general election, leaving the state's 2022 map in place.
The decision means Missouri will conduct the general election using its 2022 congressional districts, as the state high court ruled the newer map never legally took effect due to a voter-backed referendum suspending the law.
The redistricting story began in the summer of 2025, when a Missouri resident got the ear of President Donald Trump to propose a map that could provide additional GOP seats.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway had argued that the state faced an unprecedented situation after administering its primary election under one set of congressional districts only to be ordered to use another for the general election.
The Supreme Court's ruling upholds a Missouri Supreme Court decision that enjoined Secretary of State Denny Hoskins from using the gerrymandered congressional map drawn during a 2025 special session.
What's still developing
- Tuesday will have the referendum as Proposition A and a congressional election based on a map drawn in 2022 that is expected to return a delegation of six Republicans and two Democrats to Washington.
- The Missouri Supreme Court found that Hoskins should not have rejected the plan, unanimously concluding there is nothing in state law that says redistricting plans are exempt from the referendum process.
- WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a last-ditch effort by Missouri Republicans to use a newly drawn congressional map, which was designed to maximize their political power, for this year’s midterm elections.
- "Only this Court can prevent Missouri from being forced to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters; and only this Court can ensure that Missouri hosts a timely and lawful federal congressional election," the application said.
- Opponents urged the justices to reject the request, arguing there was no genuine emergency because Missouri officials created the timing problem themselves.
- In their response, they argued the state's Secretary of State waited until "the last possible day" to challenge the referendum after implementing the revised map during the congressional primary, hoping the courts would refuse to order a return to the previous districts so close to the general election.
- Emanuel Cleaver's Kansas City-area district more favorable to Republicans, with the goal of expanding the GOP's congressional delegation from 6-2 to 7-1.
- “Using a different map for the general election would wreak havoc on the fairness and orderliness of Missouri’s congressional elections, calling into question the candidacy of those nominated in the primaries and the votes of those who voted in the primaries," Clark wrote.