Gov. Mike Kehoe remains hopeful that the state can use the gerrymandered map he helped usher in last year, even after other top Republicans conceded that the state must use older maps.

At a ceremonial bill signing in Kansas City on Thursday, Kehoe said he would monitor the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to see whether it restores the gerrymandered map, dubbed the “Missouri First Map” by supporters.

“What we call the ‘Missouri First Map,’ the map that Missourians voted on in the August primary, is still a possible map, which we think is right for Missourians to continue to vote on the same map in November. So we hope that that’s successful,” Kehoe said.

The U.S. Supreme Court has twice prevented the map from being used, and the Missouri Supreme Court has blocked the map until voters approve or reject it in November. Kehoe’s comments come as a consensus emerges that the map cannot be used in the 2026 election.

On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court paused a St. Louis District Court’s ruling that prevented the state from using any map but the one lawmakers passed in 2025. That pause will hold until that case is settled, including any potential appeal.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican, informed local election officials across the state on Thursday to use the congressional maps approved in 2022.

“Following the United States Supreme Court’s stay, the only governing court order in effect is from the Missouri Supreme Court,” Hoskins said. “In accordance with that order, my office is directing local election authorities to use the 2022 congressional map.”

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who had been representing Hoskins in court, followed suit.

Both have fiercely defended the map and went to court to defend it from challengers. Hoskins has sent conflicting guidance out to election officials over the past several days as different courts have dizzyingly restored and overturned the congressional map.

Deadlines approaching

Kehoe said he believes Hoskins’ most recent guidance to election officials was premature with ongoing litigation in federal court.

“He was unaware that the Eighth Circuit was going to take the action that they did. Now that the Eighth Circuit has taken the action, I think that will end up playing out, and I will let Secretary Hoskins communicate with the clerk community on what that means they should or should not do,” Kehoe said.

The Missouri Supreme Court, however, has prohibited Hoskins from telling election officials to use anything but Missouri’s 2022 maps. Doing so could land him in contempt of the Missouri Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeals will hear the case next week, with its final hearing scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 17.

The tight deadline could challenge election officials, who must finalize ballots by Sept. 19 to send to members of the military overseas.

In court filings, Hoskins asked the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a decision by Sept. 14 so the state could meet the deadline for overseas ballots.

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