The fight in Missouri has had a surreal 48 hours. Here is a grossly compressed summary.
First, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the state must use the 2022 congressional maps. The state court ruled that the 2026 maps were effectively a legal nullity because about 3% of voters in the state put the validity of the 2026 maps on the ballot for a referendum.
Second, Missouri filed an emergency application for a stay on September 4. Circuit Justice Kavanaugh set a response for September 7. Shortly after midnight on September 8, Missouri filed its reply brief. Around 4:30 PM, Circuit Justice Kavanaugh denied Missouri's application in chambers. I suppose there was enough time for Kavanaugh to read all the briefing, but I am skeptical. There was no noted dissent.