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4d ago

Missouri House Advances GOP Redistricting Aimed at Flipping Kansas City District

The bill’s absence of an emergency clause provides a 90-day window for lawsuits or a referendum.

Missouri Lawmakers are set to re-draw the state's congressional districts to give Republicans an extra seat in the midterms. This is in direct response to a request from President Trump, but many Missourians aren't fond of the idea. KMBC 9's Matt Evans joins us from Jefferson City to discuss how we got here, and the little-used Missouri law that could but the issue before voters.

Overview

  • Lawmakers gave first-round approval 89–63, with all Democrats and 12 Republicans, including House Speaker Jon Patterson, voting no.
  • The proposal seeks to make seven of Missouri’s eight U.S. House seats safely Republican by reshaping the Kansas City–anchored 5th District.
  • The 5th would retain only Kansas City’s east side and stretch east to Jefferson City, adding counties such as Cole, Cooper, Howard, Maries, Moniteau and Miller, plus Morgan, while shifting many Kansas City voters into the 4th and 6th.
  • A final House vote is set to send the measure to the Republican-led Senate, after which it would face potential court challenges and a referendum petition drive.
  • President Trump publicly urged a redraw, while sponsor Rep. Dirk Deaton said the map was drafted at the governor’s direction during a special session called by Gov. Mike Kehoe.