Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed into law a new U.S. House district map designed to help Republicans gain an additional congressional seat in the 2026 elections. The redistricting plan, supported by former President Donald Trump, aims to maintain the GOP’s narrow majority in the House. Currently, Republicans hold six of Missouri’s eight seats.
The new map notably alters Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City district by removing parts of the city and extending the district into predominantly Republican rural areas. This change reduces the number of Black and minority residents in Cleaver’s district, which he has represented for 20 years. Cleaver criticized the plan for using Troost Avenue, a historically segregated boundary in Kansas City, as a dividing line.
Kehoe defended the map, stating, “Missourians are more alike than we are different, and our values, across both sides of the aisle, are closer to each other than those of the congressional representation of states like New York, California, and Illinois. We believe this map best represents Missourians, and I appreciate the support and efforts of state legislators, our congressional delegation, and President Trump in getting this map to my desk.”
Opponents are pursuing a referendum to force a statewide vote on the map and have filed multiple lawsuits challenging its legality, including claims that mid-decade redistricting violates Missouri’s constitution and that the map fails to meet requirements for compactness and equal population.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
