The panel’s Monday ruling mandates that only a 2025 map complies with federal law, rejecting the state’s current use of 2022 districts. This intervention arrives less than two weeks after the Supreme Court issued its second unanimous blow to the Republican-led effort to redraw the state’s political boundaries. All three judges on the panel—James Loken, David Stras, and Justin Smith—were appointed by Republican presidents, with Smith notably serving as an attorney for Donald Trump in recent high-profile litigation.
Missouri Redistricting Battle Returns to Supreme Court
A three-judge appellate panel has revived a contentious Missouri congressional map, defying two previous rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals forces the redistricting dispute back to the nation’s highest court just as ballots are already being cast in the general election.
Campaign group People Not Politicians Missouri, which has challenged the state's House Bill 1 since its passage last September, announced plans for an immediate emergency appeal. Executive director Richard von Glahn criticized the court’s timing, noting that ballots are already in the hands of voters. Critics, including Texas Congressman Christian Menefee, described the judicial maneuver as an attempt to dismantle a Kansas City district and diminish the influence of minority voters. As legal teams prepare for their third trip to the Supreme Court, officials face mounting pressure to prioritize the administration of ongoing elections over further litigation.
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