# Supreme Court Blocks Trump-Backed Missouri GOP Map for Third Time - URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/supreme-court-blocks-trump-backed-missouri-gop-map-for-third-time - Published: 2026-09-26T01:09:38.033060+00:00 - Topics: redistricting, supreme-court, missouri, midterm-elections, gerrymandering ## What the left says - The ruling ensures that more than a million Missouri voters shifted between districts under the 2025 map will vote using the same lines they've used since 2022, preserving stability and predictability for voters who signed petitions to challenge the gerrymander. - The decision vindicates the citizen referendum process, affirming that voters who gathered 300,000 signatures have the right to reject a mid-decade gerrymander at the ballot box before it takes effect. - The 2025 map was engineered specifically to dismantle Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's Kansas City district and hand Republicans a seventh of eight House seats, an outcome critics view as an aggressive partisan power grab orchestrated at Trump's direction as part of a nationwide redistricting push. - Missouri's Republican secretary of state is faulted for pushing forward with the invalid map during the August primary despite the pending referendum, creating the very chaos the Supreme Court later cited. ## What the right says - Republicans argue voters are left with inconsistent rules, since candidates and districts used in the August primary now differ from what will appear on the November ballot, undermining electoral certainty and voter trust. - The map was lawfully enacted by Missouri's elected legislature and endorsed by the sitting governor, reflecting the normal legislative redistricting process rather than judicial overreach. - The decision costs Republicans a likely additional House seat at a pivotal moment when control of the chamber is closely contested nationwide. - Missouri's governor, while disagreeing with the outcome, emphasized the state will comply with the Court's order, reflecting respect for judicial authority even amid disappointment. ## Common ground - The Supreme Court's decision was unsigned with no noted dissents, indicating unanimous agreement among the justices on the outcome. - Both sides agree the ruling means Missouri will use the 2022 congressional map, not the 2025 map, for the November 2026 general election. - Both sides recognize that using different maps for the primary and general elections created real confusion for over a million Missouri voters. - Both sides acknowledge this litigation involved an unusually rapid and repeated series of emergency Supreme Court interventions within a matter of weeks. ## Sources - [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-missouri-map/) (Lean Left) - [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/video/supreme-court-again-blocks-missouri-map-favoring-republicans-paving-way-voter-database/) (Lean Left) - [Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion](https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/09/supreme-court-stays-decision-allowing-missouri-to-use-new-congressional-map/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=supreme-court-stays-decision-allowing-missouri-to-use-new-congressional-map) (Unknown) - [Mother Jones](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/09/scotus-blocks-missouri-map-gerrymander-kavanaugh-republicans-house/) (Left) - [Newsmax](https://www.newsmax.com/politics/supreme-court-missouri-redistricting/2026/09/25/id/1270746) (Right) - [Newsweek](https://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-rejects-trump-backed-missouri-map-third-time-12491872) (Lean Right) - [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2026/09/25/nx-s1-5978875/midterms-redistricting-trump-missouri) (Lean Left) - [PBS NewsHour](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/supreme-court-rejects-trump-backed-missouri-congressional-map-for-third-time) (Lean Left) - [RedState](https://redstate.com/smoosieq/2026/09/25/breaking-scotus-blocks-8th-circuits-missouri-map-ruling-this-was-error-n2207393) (Unknown) - [The Daily Signal](https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/09/25/high-court-rejects-missouri-congressional-map-in-blow-to-gop-house-hopes/) (Right) - [The Federalist](https://thefederalist.com/2026/09/25/scotus-issues-final-order-blocking-missouris-gop-backed-map-for-midterms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=scotus-issues-final-order-blocking-missouris-gop-backed-map-for-midterms) (Right) - [The Guardian US](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/sep/25/trump-xi-summit-national-archives-media-politics-live) (Left) - [The Guardian US](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/25/supreme-court-missouri-maps-trump) (Left) - [The Hill](https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/6112550-mo-congressional-redistricting-battle/) (Center) - [Townhall](https://townhall.com/news/scott-mcclallen/2026/09/25/scotus-blocks-missouris-gop-favored-map-reinstates-2022-lines-for-midterms-n2683641) (Right) - [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/25/supreme-court-blocks-missouri-congressional-map-favoring-gop-third-time/) (Lean Left) - [Washington Times](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/sep/25/supreme-court-rejects-trump-backed-missouri-congressional-map-3rd/) (Right) --- Content by TwoTakes (https://twotakes.us). 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