Supreme Court again rejects Missouri congressional map

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(The Center Square) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday again rejected a Missouri congressional map that would give Republicans an advantage ahead of the midterm elections. 

Justices on the high court granted a requst to block a lower court decision that would have allowed the redrawn congressional map to remain in place. Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied the request after blocking the map's implementation on Monday but allowed respondents in the case a chance to petition the court for certiorari. 

Missouri redrew its congressional maps in 2025 and held a primary with the newly proposed maps which could give Republicans one additional congressional seat in the state. 

"The district court’s legally baseless [order] must not be permitted to detonate in the middle of Missouri’s congressional elections to blow up the clear and careful ruling of the Missouri Supreme Court and the fundamental rights of Missouri voters," lawyer's for the advocacy group People Not Politicans wrote to the high court.

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins said the high court's denial of redawn congressional maps would cause unnecessary chaos before the November general election. 

"It would be extraordinarily burdensome to change Missouri’s congressional map with the Primary Election having been completed," lawyers for Hoskins wrote in a brief to the high court. 

The previous maps, adopted in 2022, favor Republicans by a margin of 6-2 insetead of the newly drawn maps that could give a 7-1 advantage for the GOP. Candidates across the state will likely be in slightly altered districts for the general election. 

Kavanaugh invited those involved in the case to petition the high court. If a petition is granted, justices on the court could hear arguments in the case during its upcoming term. 

The Supreme Court has already scheduled arguments through the remainder of the calendar year. The Missouri case, with its implications for the midterm elections, will likely not be solved by that point.