Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
The Republican-controlled Senate in Missouri has given final legislative approval to a new congressional map, a move designed to target a Democratic House seat and strengthen the GOP’s chances of maintaining its slim majority in the U.S. House. The 21-11 vote on Friday came two weeks after Governor Mike Kehoe unveiled the map and called a special session for its passage.
The newly approved map specifically targets Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver, a long-serving member whose Kansas City-area district will be redrawn to include more rural, Republican-friendly areas of central Missouri. The legislative action aims to shift the state’s congressional delegation, potentially increasing the Republican advantage.
Legal and Political Challenges Ahead
Representative Cleaver has publicly committed to fighting the new map in court and has affirmed his intention to seek re-election. Opponents of the redistricting effort are also preparing to launch a campaign to put the map before voters through a referendum. They will have 90 days from the date the map is signed into law to gather the necessary signatures for a statewide vote.
Cleaver stated that his allies would continue to push to ensure the law is upheld and that what he termed an “unconstitutional gerrymander is defeated,” both in the courts and through public action. A group called People Not Politicians announced their immediate plans to file paperwork to begin the referendum process, with spokesperson Elsa Rainey asserting that “Missouri voters — not politicians — will have the final say.”
National Context and Republican Strategy
Missouri’s redistricting effort is part of a broader, multi-state campaign led by President Donald Trump and his allies. This initiative seeks to alter district lines across the country to preserve or enhance the Republican balance of power in the House of Representatives.
Under the new map, Republicans in Missouri anticipate winning seven of the state’s eight congressional seats in next year’s elections. Currently, the GOP holds six seats, while Democrats hold two. President Trump celebrated the map’s passage on Truth Social, expressing hope that it would yield an additional Republican seat and commending Missouri Republicans for “standing up to Save our Country, and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
Legislative Opposition and Republican Defense
Despite fierce opposition from Democrats in the state legislature, they were largely powerless to stop or slow the map’s passage, given Republican supermajorities in both chambers. During floor debate, Democratic state Senator Stephen Webber argued that Republicans were compromising their independence by acceding to Trump’s will, stating, “We’re no longer the ‘Show Me State,’” but rather the “‘Yes, sir state.'”
Democratic state Senator Barbara Washington of Kansas City characterized the map as a “blatant political attack,” expressing concern that it “erases the voice of our community” by “Carving up Kansas City and silencing our constituents.” While no Republican senators spoke in favor of the new lines on Friday, several GOP lawmakers had previously defended the map during the special session, maintaining its fairness and asserting that it originated from Governor Kehoe’s office.
This redistricting marks Missouri as the third state in recent weeks to undertake such an effort. In response, Democrats in California have also introduced a revised map aimed at flipping five Republican-held seats, which will require voter approval this fall.
