Supreme Court Blocks GOP Power Grab in Missouri Congressional Map
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The U.S. Supreme Court has intervened to halt Missouri Republicans' attempt to gerrymander congressional districts, preserving the 2022 map and preventing further disenfranchisement of Democratic voters.
On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an emergency order that halts Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins from imposing a newly drawn Republican congressional map for this year’s elections. The order, issued without any noted dissents, came in response to a request from the advocacy group People Not Politicians, led by activist Richard von Glahn, who has been fighting to protect fair representation for Missouri’s voters.
This ruling suspends a decision by U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark, who had sided with Republican interests by ordering the use of the new map, even though the Missouri Supreme Court had found otherwise. Thanks to the Supreme Court’s intervention, the state will retain the 2022 congressional map, which currently gives six seats to Republicans and two to Democrats, preventing further erosion of Democratic representation.
"Only Judge Clark’s order is preventing the disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of voters who participated in the primary election using the new congressional map," Hoskins’ lawyers claimed, attempting to justify the GOP’s blatant power grab just minutes before the Supreme Court’s order was released.
The Trump administration, ever eager to support Republican manipulation of elections, also filed a brief backing Hoskins, arguing that overturning Clark’s ruling would threaten the ability of state officials to conduct a timely and lawful federal election.
This dispute arose from a 2025 congressional map enacted by Missouri Republicans as part of a broader effort to redraw districts in their favor. Grassroots opponents quickly gathered signatures for a state referendum to block the map, but Hoskins delayed a decision on placing the measure on the ballot, arrogantly asserting that legislative redistricting plans are not subject to voter approval. The Missouri Supreme Court, despite its Republican-appointed majority, disagreed and ruled that state law does not exempt congressional maps from a voter referendum.
A federal lawsuit was filed by Republican candidates Rick Brattin and Bob Onder, along with two voters, seeking to enforce the new map that would eliminate one of the few Democratic-held seats, currently occupied by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. The Supreme Court’s order likely ends this brazen attempt to undermine democracy, as the 2022 map will remain in place for the November midterm elections, with ballots scheduled to be mailed beginning September 19.