Missouri’s embattled, Trump-backed congressional map returns to Supreme Court for a third time

Key Points:

• The Supreme Court is reviewing for the third time whether Missouri can use a GOP-favored congressional redistricting plan in the November midterm election, following a recent federal appeals court ruling mandating its use due to primary elections conducted under that map.
• The Republican-backed map would shift Missouri's congressional districts from a 6-2 Democratic-Republican split to a 7-1 Republican advantage by redrawing the 5th District, currently held by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver, to include more rural and conservative areas.
• The legal battle began after Missouri’s Supreme Court ruled the GOP map unconstitutional due to a referendum challenge, but federal courts have since supported the GOP map, leading to multiple appeals and emergency requests to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• The Supreme Court has previously declined to intervene, but the ongoing dispute highlights the contentious nature of redistricting battles this election cycle, with experts predicting the court is likely to reject the GOP map again.
• The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the state to use the GOP map for the general election but paused enforcement pending appeals, prompting the Supreme Court to potentially issue a ruling or extension before a Monday deadline.