Governor of Missouri responds to Trump's call for redistricting, convenes a special legislative session
Missouri Governor Calls Special Session for Redistricting
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has announced a special session to redraw the state's U.S. House districts, marking the third state to undertake mid-decade redistricting this year, following Texas. The special session, set to reconvene on Wednesday, Sept. 3, is led by Governor Kehoe and aims to redesign the U.S. House districts in Missouri.
Governor Kehoe's plan, known as the "Missouri First Map," targets Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's Kansas City-area district by stretching it eastward into rural Republican-leaning areas. The new map, if approved, could potentially shift the district's political leanings towards the Republicans.
President Trump praised Governor Kehoe for the move on Truth Social, calling him "GREAT Governor Mike Kehoe." Trump also credited him for making the state aware of redistricting opportunities. Governor Kehoe's map preserves two congressional districts as currently drawn and retains every current member of Missouri's congressional delegation in their current districts.
The special session also includes a secondary goal of amending the Missouri constitution to make it harder to approve ballot initiatives, often used to codify abortion rights. This move has been criticised by some, with Missouri state House Minority Leader Ashley Aune accusing Governor Kehoe of being a "Trump puppet" and attempting to "steal a congressional seat for Republicans."
In Missouri, Democrats could filibuster in the Senate, but Republicans can shut down a filibuster. The special session is also intended for initiative petition reform, but the outcome remains to be seen as the legislative process unfolds.
On the same day, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed their redistricted map into law. In Texas, Democrats attempted to block redistricting but ultimately failed due to repercussions for leaving the state.
Governor Kehoe stated that the new maps will represent Missouri's conservative values in Washington, D.C., emphasising the political significance of the move. As the special session progresses, the future of Missouri's U.S. House districts will become clearer.
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