Supreme Court Blocks Missouri From Using New GOP-Friendly Congressional Map in November
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked Missouri from using its newly redrawn congressional map in November’s midterm elections, putting the state back on track to use the districts established after the 2020 census. The justices issued a brief unsigned order with no publicly noted dissents.
The decision suspends a ruling issued Tuesday by Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark, who had ordered Missouri officials to use the new 2025 congressional boundaries. Clark’s ruling had conflicted with an earlier decision from the Missouri Supreme Court blocking those districts.
Missouri’s Republican-controlled legislature approved the new map in 2025 after President Donald Trump encouraged Republican-led states to pursue mid-decade redistricting. The boundaries significantly altered the Kansas City-based 5th Congressional District held by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, potentially giving Republicans an opportunity to gain an additional House seat.
The legal battle intensified after opponents of the map collected more than 300,000 signatures seeking a statewide referendum. Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins initially rejected the petition, arguing that the state constitution’s referendum process did not apply to congressional redistricting.
The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously rejected that argument on Sept. 3. It ruled that the referendum petition was legal, sufficient and timely and concluded that the new redistricting legislation never took effect because the petition had suspended it pending a statewide vote.
That ruling meant Missouri’s previous congressional map, adopted in 2022 following the census, remained legally in effect. Under those boundaries, Missouri currently sends six Republicans and two Democrats to the U.S. House.
The situation became more complicated because Missouri had already conducted its August congressional primaries using the new districts. Republican officials argued that switching boundaries between the primary and general elections would create significant problems for candidates and voters, but the Missouri Supreme Court concluded that those practical difficulties did not override the state constitution.
The U.S. Supreme Court had already become involved in the dispute earlier this week. Justice Brett Kavanaugh rejected Missouri’s first emergency request on Tuesday seeking to suspend the state Supreme Court ruling, but Clark issued his conflicting federal order shortly afterward.
Opponents then returned to the Supreme Court and asked the justices to block Clark’s order. Thursday’s decision granted that request, preventing the new Republican-backed districts from being used while the litigation continues.
For now, Missouri is expected to conduct the November election using its 2022 congressional districts. Voters will also have the opportunity to decide the fate of the new map through the referendum ordered onto the November ballot by the Missouri Supreme Court.