Breaking: Missouri Governor Calls Emergency Session to Redraw Congressional Maps for Partisan Gain

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has swiftly called a special legislative session, set to commence on September 3rd, with the explicit goal of redrawing the state’s U.S. House districts. This aggressive move is designed to secure a partisan advantage for Republicans in the upcoming 2026 congressional elections.

The announcement, made on Friday, follows similar redistricting efforts in other states, notably Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott recently signed a new map intended to boost Republican representation. This national trend of mid-decade redistricting for political gain, reportedly encouraged by former President Trump, sees states like Missouri, Texas, and even Democratic-led California, attempting to reshape the congressional landscape.

Governor Kehoe’s proposed map specifically targets Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City-area district, stretching it eastward into more rural, Republican-leaning territories. In addition to the congressional map, the special session’s agenda includes a controversial proposed constitutional amendment aimed at making it more difficult to pass citizen-initiated ballot measures, such as those related to abortion rights and marijuana legalization.

Kehoe justified these actions as a defense of “Missouri’s conservative, common-sense values.” However, Democrats have quickly voiced outrage. Missouri State House Minority Leader Ashley Aune condemned Kehoe as a “Trump puppet” attempting to “steal a congressional seat for Republicans” and undermine the ballot initiative process. Rep. Cleaver echoed these sentiments, calling the proposed gerrymandering an “attack on democracy” that will “silence voices” and “deny representation.”

With Republicans having secured a 220-215 House majority in 2024, and Missouri currently represented by six Republicans and two Democrats, this redistricting effort is a significant play in the ongoing national battle for congressional control. Despite Democratic opposition, their ability to block the new map in the Republican-dominated Missouri legislature remains limited.

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