The Supreme Court on Friday again blocked Missouri from using a congressional map redrawn to give Republicans an edge in the midterms. It was the third time this month the justices intervened, with the order landing less than two months before an election where a few seats could decide control of Congress.

Each time, the court required Missouri to use an older map that positions Democrats to retain a seat in the Kansas City area. The dispute continues in lower courts, hinting at potential legal battles after November if control of Congress is in doubt.

The order was a win for redistricting opponents who fought the new lines, drawn in 2025 at President Trump's request. In an unsigned decision with no noted dissents, the justices warned of "electoral chaos" if the state changed course so close to the election, noting ballots using the 2022 map are already printed and mailed.

The redrawn map, adopted in September 2025, divided Kansas City to unseat Representative Emanuel Cleaver, one of two Democrats in the state's delegation. The fight has seen conflicting rulings, including a short-lived contempt finding against Missouri's top election official. Earlier, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh deferred to Missouri's Supreme Court, but a federal judge in St. Louis ruled oppositely, bouncing the case back to the justices.