Missouri's congressional map for the November midterms was thrown into legal limbo on Tuesday after two courts issued conflicting rulings. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh rejected an emergency appeal from the state seeking to revive its Republican-backed revised map, leaving intact a Missouri Supreme Court ruling that had blocked it, but hours later a federal district judge ordered officials to use that same revised map while litigation continues, creating dueling directives over which districts should govern the election.

The revised map, backed by President Donald Trump and state Republicans, aimed to make Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's Kansas City-area seat more Republican-friendly, potentially shifting the delegation from 6-2 to 7-1 in the GOP's favour. The Missouri Supreme Court had ruled the map never took legal effect because a voter referendum petition suspended it pending a statewide vote, meaning the 2022 districts should apply instead. Chief US District Judge Stephen Clark's 14-day temporary restraining order countered this, warning that using different maps for the primary and general elections would cause "widespread voter confusion" and undermine election fairness. Despite the unresolved conflict, Governor Mike Kehoe and Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said Missouri would proceed with the revised map under the federal court's order.