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The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked a congressional map supported by President Donald Trump and Missouri Republicans from being used in the upcoming November midterm elections. The decision, issued Thursday (September 10), was a response to an emergency request from the group People Not Politicians, which opposes the new map. The group is led by activist Richard von Glahn, who said, "The law is the law, the Missouri constitution is clear, as was the Missouri Supreme Court" according to statements reported by NBC News.
The Supreme Court’s unsigned order, which had no noted dissents, overrules a Tuesday (September 8) decision by Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark. Judge Clark had ordered the new map—drawn in 2025 as part of a nationwide redistricting effort led by President Trump—to be used, despite the Missouri Supreme Court blocking it while a ballot initiative challenging the map moves forward. The new map would have eliminated one of Missouri's two Democratic-held congressional seats, specifically targeting the district of Representative Emanuel Cleaver.
According to Reuters reporting in The Daily Record, the Supreme Court’s action likely means Missouri will revert to its previous congressional map from 2022, which has six Republican-held districts and two Democratic-held ones. This is expected to remain in place for November’s election since ballots must be finalized soon, with the first set to go out September 19.
Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who led the effort to use the new map, argued that reverting to the old map would disenfranchise voters who participated in this year’s primaries using the new boundaries. His legal team claimed that only Judge Clark’s order could prevent this outcome, as reported by NBC News. The Trump administration also filed a brief supporting Hoskins’ position, warning that blocking the new map could jeopardize a timely and lawful federal election in Missouri.
The legal fight began after Missouri Republicans enacted the new map in 2025. Opponents gathered signatures for a state referendum to overturn it, but Hoskins delayed a decision on whether to place the measure on the ballot. The Missouri Supreme Court, which has a majority of Republican appointees, ruled that redistricting plans are not exempt from voter referendums and that Hoskins should have allowed the initiative to proceed.
Meanwhile, the Missouri Supreme Court is considering whether to hold Hoskins in contempt for failing to follow its ruling. The decision from the U.S. Supreme Court signals the likely end of this round of litigation before the November election, though further legal challenges could arise as the referendum process continues.