A federal appeals court handed Republicans a significant legal victory Monday, ruling that Missouri should use its GOP-drawn 2025 congressional map in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The three-judge panel of the Eighth US Circuit Court of Appeals directed a lower court to permanently block officials from conducting the general election under the state’s older 2022 districts.
The decision could help Republicans gain an additional US House seat in Missouri, potentially shifting the state’s congressional delegation from six Republicans and two Democrats to a 7-1 Republican advantage.
The court delayed enforcement of its order until 5 p.m. Central Time on Sept. 28, giving the US Supreme Court an opportunity to intervene.
Until then, election officials remain bound by the 2022 districts because of an existing Supreme Court order. Monday’s ruling therefore represents a major Republican victory, but the fight is not yet finished.
Missouri’s Republican-controlled legislature approved the new boundaries during a special legislative session in 2025. Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the map into law, and the state used those districts during its Aug. 4 primary.
The dispute emerged after the Missouri Supreme Court ruled Sept. 3 that a referendum petition challenging the new map was valid and submitted on time.
Because the petition was filed before the law’s effective date, the state court concluded that the new boundaries could not take effect unless voters approved them in November.
That ruling would have required Missouri to return to its 2022 map for the general election, despite candidates having filed, campaigned and competed in primaries under the 2025 districts.
Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO), Republican Senate candidate Rick Brattin and two voters responded with a federal lawsuit. They argued that forcing candidates and voters to switch districts between the primary and general election would violate the US Constitution.
US District Judge Stephen Clark initially agreed, concluding that holding the two stages of a single election under different congressional maps created constitutional problems.
The Eighth Circuit backed that reasoning Monday, writing that participation in a congressional election “requires continuity in the constituency throughout all stages of a single election.”
Judges James Loken and Justin Smith formed the majority. Judge David Stras agreed with part of the ruling but dissented on questions involving the plaintiffs’ legal standing.
The 2025 map significantly reshapes the Kansas City area, which previously sat largely within the heavily Democratic 5th Congressional District represented by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO).
Under the new boundaries, Kansas City is divided among the 4th, 5th and 6th districts. The redesigned 5th District also incorporates several Republican-leaning counties east of the city.
The previous district favored Democrats by approximately 23 percentage points, while analysts have estimated that the redesigned seat favors Republicans by roughly 17 points.
Republicans argue that Missouri should not change district lines after completing its primary. Opponents contend that the referendum legally prevented the new map from taking effect and have indicated they will seek another Supreme Court review, per Trending Politics.
The Supreme Court previously paused Clark’s temporary order, leaving the 2022 boundaries in place while the Eighth Circuit considered the appeal. That pause remains active despite Monday’s decision.
The upcoming Supreme Court response will determine whether Republicans can use the 2025 map—and pursue the additional House seat—in November.
