Missouri is the latest American state to join the contentious redistricting debate as Republican Governor Mike Kehoe announced a special session to redraw the state’s US House districts, The Associated Press reported on Saturday. The decision follows a similar move in Texas, where GOP Governor Greg Abbott signed a new map into law, aimed at boosting Republican chances in the 2026 midterm elections. With Missouri now on board, the state appears poised to join a growing national effort to shift district lines in favour of Republicans as they seek to hold on to the House of Representatives.
Kehoe’s Redistricting Plan and Agenda
Governor Kehoe has said the special session to redraw Missouri’s congressional districts would begin on September 3. According to the report, the proposed map targets Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver’s district in the Kansas City area by extending it into rural, Republican-leaning regions, a move widely seen as a direct attempt to shift the balance in favour of the GOP.
Reports suggest Kehoe’s agenda also includes a proposed constitutional amendment to make it harder for citizens to pass ballot initiatives, particularly those concerning hot-button issues like abortion rights and marijuana legalisation. Kehoe positioned the two actions as a defense of Missouri’s “conservative, common-sense values.” “Missouri’s conservative, common-sense values should be truly represented at all levels of government,” AP quoted him as saying.
Democratic Pushback and Criticism
Democrats, who view this as a blatant power grab, have criticised the proposal, with State House Minority Leader Ashley Aune calling Kehoe a “Trump puppet” and accusing him of trying to “steal a congressional seat for Republicans.”
She went as far so as to compare it with the pro-slavery lawmakers who voted for Missouri to join the Confederacy in 1861, describing it as the “worst threat to the integrity of our state government,” as reported by AP.
Rep. Cleaver also condemned the redistricting effort as an “attack on democracy” designed to silence voters and deny them representation. “This attempt to gerrymander Missouri will not simply change district lines, it will silence voices,” Cleaver reportedly said, vowing to fight back and not concede the seat.
The Legal and Political Landscape
Missouri Democrats are facing an uphill battle in preventing the GOP-controlled legislature from passing the new map. Unlike in Texas, where Democrats fled the state to delay redistricting, Missouri’s laws don’t allow for such tactics to block a quorum. Although Democrats could attempt to filibuster in the Senate, Republicans could use procedural tactics to overcome this resistance, as they did earlier this year to pass a restrictive abortion amendment.
In the 2024 elections, Republicans narrowly won the House with a 220-215 majority in an outcome which nearly mirrored the national vote distribution, and showed that district boundaries play a key role in determining election results. Democrats need to flip just three seats to take control of the House in 2026, and redistricting battles like the one in Missouri could tip the scales, analysts say.
Redistricting Battles Across the US
Missouri’s redistricting push comes after Texas moved first, with Abbott signing a map designed to add five more Republican seats by 2026. But the GOP is not alone in its redistricting efforts. Republican officials in Florida, Indiana, and other US states are also reportedly looking to revise their districts. On the other side, Democrats in Illinois, Maryland, and New York are also redrawing maps to strengthen their position.
In Utah, a judge recently ordered the state’s Republican-led legislature to redraw districts after finding that they had ignored an independent commission’s recommendations to avoid partisan gerrymandering.
The National Debate on Gerrymandering
At the center of these redistricting fights is a fierce debate over partisan gerrymandering — the practice of drawing district lines to favour one political party over another. While those opposing it say that these moves undermine democracy and disenfranchise voters, while supporters contend that redistricting is a necessary tool for ensuring fair representation.
