Supreme Court rejects Missouri GOP’s redistricting try for third time

Sept. 25 (UPI) — The Supreme Court on Friday turned aside a third attempt by Missouri Republicans to institute a new and more favorable congressional redistricting map in time for November’s midterm elections.

In an unsigned decision, the high court once again refused to allow a congressional map in Missouri that would have given Republicans a chance to gain an extra seat in the House of Representatives.

Friday’s ruling marked the third and likely final time in three weeks the court has ruled against an effort by state Republicans to use what opponents call a gerrymandered map to improve their chances of winning a seventh seat in the House.

The effort was launched last year after President Donald Trump urged Missouri to redraw its congressional maps as part of an unprecedented strategy of instituting mid-decade re-draws aimed at helping the GOP to hang onto control of the House.

The new map most notably shifted congressional lines in Kansas City to turn a Democratic-leaning district into a more favorable district for Republicans.

The Supreme Court had previously twice ruled against the new map, clearing the way for the state to use a congressional map drawn in 2022, which it also used in 2024.

The effort was again revived on Monday when the Eighth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the new map, but with Friday’s third high court dismissal, the legal saga appeared to be over.

“Ballots using the 2022 map have been printed and mailed,” the court wrote. “Absentee voting has already begun, as has military and overseas voting. At this late date, ordering reversion to the 2025 map midst of an ongoing election would usher in electoral chaos.”

The unsigned opinion included no written dissents.

Missouri’s Republican governor, Mike Kehoe, said his administration will abide by the decision.

“It is disappointing that today’s decision by the United States Supreme Court means Missouri will conduct its November general election under a different congressional map than its primary election,” said in a social media post.

“Voters deserved consistency and certainty, and not for the rules to be changed between elections. Nevertheless, Missouri will follow the Court’s order.”