Conflicting court rulings leave Missouri’s congressional map in limbo

Republicans rushed to the high court after the Missouri Supreme Court ruled the state could not use the redrawn map, which was designed to eliminate one Democratic-held seat, this year.

WASHINGTON — A fast-moving fight over whether Missouri Republicans can use a redrawn congressional map for this fall’s midterm elections was cast into chaos on Tuesday with two different courts issuing conflicting rulings.

In one, the U.S. Supreme Court, in an order issued by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, left in place a Missouri Supreme Court ruling from last week that said the map could not be used while a ballot initiative that could lead to voters rejecting the newly drawn district lines moves forward. Kavanaugh handles emergency requests that arise from Missouri.

But soon after, a federal judge in Missouri ruled in favor of two GOP congressional candidates who argue that the new map, which was in place for the August primaries, must be used in November in order to avoid federal constitutional violations. That case could also quickly face U.S. Supreme Court scrutiny with time running out for the map to be finalized. The state’s deadline to finalize ballots was 5 p.m local time, and first ballots are set to go out Sept. 19.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe and Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, both Republicans, said on X Tuesday evening that the redrawn map would be used for the November election.

The two cases raise different legal issues, with the Missouri Supreme Court focused only on state law while the federal case raises questions under the U.S. Constitution.