WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked an attempt by a Republican state official in Missouri to use a newly drawn Republican congressional map for this year’s elections. The court, in a brief order with no dissent noted, granted an emergency request filed by a group called People Not Politicians, led by activist Richard von Glahn. The decision stays a ruling by Missouri-based U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark, who ruled Tuesday that the new map must be used, despite the Missouri Supreme Court reaching the opposite. conclusion.The justices’ quick action likely signals the end of the battle over which congressional map to use in November’s midterm elections, with the state likely to use the previous 2022 map that includes six seats currently held by Republicans and two Democrats. The new map sought to eliminate one of the state’s two seats held by Democrats, currently held by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo. ” von Glahn said in a statement. Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican who led the effort to use the new map, “has shown that he cannot effectively do the job he was elected to do,” he added. Hoskins’ lawyers told U.S. Supreme Court justices minutes before the decision was issued that Clark’s order alone is “preventing the disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of voters” who participated in the primary elections using the new congressional map. shortly before the November election, it is the only way Missouri can “conduct congressional elections that comply with the federal election schedule,” they added. The Trump administration also filed a brief endorsement of Hoskins, saying that if the justices blocked Clark’s ruling, it would “jeopardize the ability of state officials to conduct a timely and legal federal election.” This is the second time the underlying fight has reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Hoskins seeking to block the Missouri Supreme Court’s ruling. In a separate hearing Thursday, the Missouri Supreme Court gave Hoskins a cold reception as it considers whether to hold him in contempt for challenging its earlier ruling. With Hoskins appearing in person, the justices peppered his attorney with questions about whether he will now comply and use the 2022 map. They seemed dissatisfied with some of the answers. who represents Hoskins, said his client would comply with the state court’s order requiring use of the 2022 map “unless and until” a federal court ruling intervenes. Hoskins is still “evaluating next steps,” he added Chief Justice Brent Powell told Hoskins not to “venture far from Jefferson City” while the court considers the contempt motion. local election officials. “We just want to make sure the law is followed,” Powell added. Among their concerns is that if the legal fight continues, it could lead to continued problems after the election over whether the congressional delegation should be seated. “We are in a precarious situation,” Powell said. Trump said he began when opponents of the new map gathered signatures in support of a state referendum that would undo the GOP-drawn map and put it on hold for the 2026 election. But Hoskins delayed a decision on whether to put the measure on the ballot, waiting until the last minute before rejecting the plan, arguing that redistricting plans are not subject to voter approval. The Missouri Supreme Court, which has a majority of Republican appointees, disagreed, saying there was nothing in a state law that exempted congressional maps approved by the Legislature from being vetoed by voters through the referendum process. by Rick Brattin, the Republican candidate in the district Cleaver currently holds, as well as Rep. Bob Onder, R-Mo., and two voters. Clark then ruled Tuesday that the state must use the map that people voted on during the primary. The drama was unfolding even after Tuesday’s deadline to finalize Missouri ballots ahead of this fall’s election.
