Supreme Court Blocks Missouri GOP Redistricting Map Before Midterms

The Supreme Court halted the use of a contentious GOP-backed congressional map in Missouri on Thursday. This decision comes as part of ongoing litigation over the redistricting battle ahead of November’s midterm elections. The court granted an emergency request to block this map.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, appointed during Trump’s presidency, referred the case to the full court. They issued a stay on a federal judge’s order that had reinstated the Republican-friendly districts. Notably, there were no dissents recorded. The controversy centers on new congressional maps introduced by Missouri Republicans that could alter the layout of the state’s eight U.S. House districts.

Earlier in the week, Justice Kavanaugh had similarly rejected an emergency appeal to overturn a Missouri Supreme Court ruling. This other ruling had also stopped the GOP-backed map from being used before the midterms. Law professor Vikram Amar praised the court’s consistent approach, expressing approval of the decision.

Newsweek contacted the Missouri Secretary of State for comments after the ruling. Meanwhile, the group People Not Politicians, who oppose the new map, have consistently advocated for a referendum on the redistricting plan. Executive Director Richard von Glahn emphasized the clarity of the Missouri constitution and urged voters to reject Proposition A in November’s election.

This Supreme Court intervention followed a request made after Kavanaugh’s earlier rejection of an appeal. People Not Politicians had argued against the federal district court’s perceived override of the Missouri Supreme Court’s decision. They urged the Supreme Court to maintain the 2022 map for the upcoming elections.

The challengers contended that federal orders had sown confusion by mandating a map deemed illegal by Missouri’s highest court. They argued neither the Equal Protection Clause nor Article I, Section 2 entitles voters to consistent congressional districts across elections. Missouri’s Secretary of State, Denny Hoskins, along with supportive figures, claimed returning to the 2022 map post-August primaries would infringe on constitutional rights. They highlighted that altering districts could disallow some voters from participating fully in both primary and general elections.

The United States backed Missouri, expressing concerns about creating distinct voter categories. The Justice Department questioned whether People Not Politicians held the standing needed for this appeal.

The core issue involves deciding between Missouri’s 2022 congressional map and a new version. This revision, approved for the August primaries, may increase GOP representation from six to seven out of eight seats in the state. The Missouri legislature passed House Bill 1 in September 2025, sanctioning the new map for the 2026 primaries, where over a million votes were cast.