KANSAS CITY, Mo. — U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver vowed Friday to fight Republican efforts to redraw congressional maps. He said the move to change the boundaries of his Kansas City-based district would make it easier for a Republican to win the seat.
“We're going to fight this all the way," Cleaver said. "It's probably going to end up in the Supreme Court."
Cleaver, a Democrat who represents most of Jackson County and part of Clay County, said the proposed changes would divide Kansas City.
“It will render people in Kansas City essentially silent and powerless,” Cleaver said. "The reason I’m saying this is Kansas City is roughly 70-something percent Democratic. If you tear Kansas City apart — put one portion of the Kansas City area in one district, the other in another — the chances are they have no representation.”
Changing the 5th District, Cleaver's district, would likely require altering the boundaries of Missouri’s 4th and 6th districts, which are currently represented by Reps. Mark Alford and Sam Graves, respectively.
“You could have two people fighting legislation in the national capital,” Cleaver said. "And the school district wanted one side to win and realize the other side will do damage. So, what happens? I mean, that is just absolutely mind-bending.”
Cleaver said he would wait to see what comes of a General Assembly meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 3, before deciding on next steps.
“The worst thing you can do to me is come charging at me," Cleaver said. "I tend to buck up and fight back, so the word for the community is this ain't over."
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