2025 Missouri proposed redistricting

Last updated

Map of Missouri's congressional districts since 2023 Missouri Congressional Districts, 118th Congress.svg
Map of Missouri's congressional districts since 2023

In July 2025, lawmakers in the U.S. state of Missouri began considering a legislative redistricting plan ahead of the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections.

Contents

On August 29, 2025, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced a special session to redraw the congressional maps with a proposed map dismantling the safe blue 5th congressional district. [1]

Governor Kehoe is expected to sign the proposed map bill into law on September 28.

Background

In July 2025, The Missouri Independent reported that the Trump administration had urged Republican Party leadership in the state of Missouri to redistrict the state's legislative boundaries in order to benefit Republicans. The plan elicited concern from some Missouri Republicans such as House Speaker Pro Tempore Chad Perkins saying it broke precedent of redistricting after every census. Along with redistricting in Texas, the proposal began amid concern from Trump and his allies that a Republican loss in the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections could damage Trump's legislative agenda and lead to investigations. [2]

Momentum began building behind the scenes by August 2025. Early that month, The Kansas City Star reported emails that showed Kehoe gathered the state's top legislative leaders at the Missouri Capitol for a private meeting about redistricting on August 1, 2025. [3] The Star also obtained emails showing that top staffers in Kehoe's office discussed the legality of redistricting with high-ranking officials in the Missouri Office of Administration. [4] Additional records obtained by the Star showed that messages condemning the effort were flooding Kehoe's office, with an internal staff report listing opposition to redistricting as the No. 1 "hot topic" among residents who contacted the governor in late July. [5]

Multiple state legislators called on Mike Kehoe to call a special session immediately to redraw the congressional districts. [6] On August 21, 2025, Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that Missouri was ready to redraw its congressional districts. [7]

On September 9, the Missouri State House voted to advance the new map that would net the GOP another seat. [8] The Bill headed to state senate where it also advanced on September 12. [9] It now heads to Governor Kehoe for his signature.

Impact

Political effects

The proposed redistricting map intends to give Republicans one additional seat in the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections. The map splits voters of Jackson County between three congressional districts and puts Democratic Party Representative Emanuel Cleaver's district once anchored in Jackson County stretching all the way east into Osage County, while the 4th and 6th districts gain part of Kansas City in their new configurations. [10]

See also

References

  1. "Missouri to take up redistricting in special session, likely netting GOP 1 seat". POLITICO. August 29, 2025. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  2. Keller, Rudi (July 25, 2025). "Trump White House pressing Missouri Republicans to redraw congressional map • Missouri Independent". Missouri Independent. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  3. Bayless, Kacen (August 11, 2025). "Missouri governor gathered top lawmakers to talk Trump's gerrymandering push". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  4. Bayless, Kacen (August 21, 2025). "Top Missouri staff weighed legality of Trump's gerrymandering push, emails show". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  5. Bayless, Kacen (August 13, 2025). "Calls opposing gerrymandering KC are No. 1 'hot topic' flooding MO governor, records show". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  6. Weiss, -Laura; Mutnick, Ally. "Jason Smith dishes on Missouri redistricting". Punchbowl News. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  7. Keegan, Charlie (August 21, 2025). "President Donald Trump's cryptic Truth Social post says 'Missouri is now in'". KSHB 41 Kansas City News. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  8. Hancock, Jason (September 9, 2025). "Missouri House passes gerrymandered congressional map, limits on initiative petitions • Missouri Independent". Missouri Independent. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  9. Deirdre Heavey, Paul Steinhauser (September 10, 2025). "Trump-backed congressional map passes Senate in crucial Midwestern state: 'Commonsense values'". Fox News. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  10. Hawley-Bates, Savannah; Younker, Emily (August 29, 2025). "Missouri governor begins redistricting process after Trump pressure. Kansas City is the target". KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR. Retrieved August 29, 2025.