Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe stated Friday that the state’s Legislature will draw new congressional maps in a particular session, formally inserting the deep-red state into the nationwide redistricting battle that can reshape the combat to manage the Home in 2026.
Missouri’s redistricting push may see the state add a further Republican-majority district to its eight-member congressional delegation. The delegation is presently cut up between six Republicans and two Democrats.
Kehoe launched its proposed maps on Friday, which goal the Kansas Metropolis-area fifth Congressional district held by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. The particular session will probably be Wednesday.
The transfer is the following part of President Donald Trump’s effort to stress GOP-controlled states to take up mid-decade redistricting to strengthen Republicans’ probabilities of retaining management of the Home.
Final week, Trump preemptively declared Missouri had signed up for mid-decade redistricting and confused its significance in serving to Republicans win in 2026.
“The Great State of Missouri is now IN. I’m not surprised. It is a great State with fabulous people,” Trump wrote on Fact Social final week. “I won it, all 3 times, in a landslide. We’re going to win the Midterms in Missouri again, bigger and better than ever before!”
Trump performed a key position in pushing Texas Republicans to attract new maps with 5 further Republican-friendly districts. In response, Texas Democrats left the state to disclaim the Legislature a quorum and quickly delay approval of the brand new maps.
Democrats in Missouri will face extra obstacles to oppose a GOP gerrymander — Republicans maintain supermajorities in each chambers of Missouri’s Legislature, which means they’ll energy via any Democratic opposition.
Republicans are hoping different states observe Texas and Missouri. Trump and Vice President JD Vance this week ratcheted up their stress marketing campaign on Indiana Republicans in hopes the state will redraw its maps to create one other favorable district. Ohio may additionally produce as many as three further Republican-leaning districts when the state takes up its necessary redraw.
However different Democratic governors have but to take concrete steps in the direction of redistricting — and the occasion is outnumbered within the redistricting arms race. Republicans management the governor’s workplace and the state Legislature in 23 states, in comparison with solely 15 states for Democrats.
Democratic Nationwide Committee Chair Ken Martin attacked Missouri’s redistricting plan as an try to undermine Missouri voters.
“Time and time again, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has undermined the voice of Missouri voters,” Martin stated in a press release on Friday. “Now he is attempting to dilute their power altogether by removing the ability of Missourians to stand up against this power grab.”
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