Missouri Republicans dragged out the battle over their gerrymander. Now they’re trying to blame the state’s top court

Key Points:

• Missouri Republicans are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate a gerrymandered congressional map just weeks before the general election, blaming the Missouri Supreme Court for striking down the map and causing election chaos.
• Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins delayed ruling on a referendum petition challenging the map, allowing the gerrymandered districts to be used in the August primary but provoking lawsuits and criticism from the state Supreme Court.
• The Missouri Supreme Court ruled the gerrymandered map never legally took effect without voter approval via referendum, ordering the state to use the 2022 map for the 2026 general election and holding Hoskins in contempt for attempting to enforce the 2025 map.
• Republicans filed a federal challenge after the state court ruling, and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with them, ordering use of the 2025 map and sending the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which may decide on the issue imminently.
• Missouri GOP lawyers are also seeking to expand the U.S. Supreme Court’s Purcell principle to limit state court election decisions close to elections, arguing the Missouri Supreme Court’s actions have caused ongoing election disruption.