Kavanaugh Blocks Missouri GOP-Friendly Congressional Map

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday refused to lift a federal court’s injunction that barred the use of Missouri’s newly drawn congressional map. The map, adopted by the state’s Republican‑controlled legislature, would have shifted the state’s House delegation to a 7‑1 split favoring the GOP, giving the party a potential pickup in the November election.

The decision means Missouri officials must abandon the new map for the general election and revert to the existing 6‑1‑GOP‑favored map that was in place before the lawsuit. The injunction was issued after a federal judge found the new boundaries violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting minority voting strength. Missouri’s primary elections were conducted under the new 7‑1 map, but the Supreme Court’s ruling restores the status quo for the upcoming election cycle.

The ruling underscores the continued legal battles over congressional districting in the state. With the map set to remain unchanged, Republicans will have to rely on the 6‑1 configuration for the November vote, while Democrats will continue to challenge the fairness of the existing district lines.