KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.
—
President Donald Trump appeared to hint Missouri is closer to redrawing its US congressional district boundaries in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
He wrote Thursday, “The Great State of Missouri is now IN.”
Currently, six Republicans and two Democrats represent Missouri in Washington, DC. Political experts believe Republicans want to redraw the boundaries in a way that favors their party winning seven seats in the 2026 mid-term elections.
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, a Democrat, has said his seat in Missouri’s 5th Congressional District is the target of Republicans.
The state is in charge of setting district boundaries. Legislators last changed the maps in 2022. They normally make changes in line with new census data.
Governor Mike Kehoe would have to call legislators to Jefferson City for a special session should he make a formal request to change the district boundaries.
His spokesperson sent a statement Thursday after Trump’s online post.
It reads, “Governor Kehoe continues to have conversations with House and Senate leadership to assess options for a special session that would allow the General Assembly to provide congressional districts that best represent Missourians. Governor Kehoe appreciates President Trump’s attention to this issue on behalf of Missourians.”
Missouri state Senate President Cindy O’Laughlin followed up with a statement, which said in part, “Conversations about the best way to move forward on congressional redistricting are ongoing between Governor Kehoe and legislative leaders. From the Senate’s perspective, the priority is clear: Missouri must have districts that reflect the values of our conservative majority and push back against Democrats who are determined to implement a radical socialist agenda in Washington.”
House minority leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City’s Northland, pointed out the Missouri legislature could pass a proposal without a single Democrat in the building. So her party won’t leave the state in an attempt to block a potential vote like legislators in Texas did.
“We’re going to stay here, we’re going to make their lives hard, we’re going to get loud,” Aune said Thursday. “We’re going to make sure they hear from every possible constituent in Missouri and make it difficult for them to do this. But I think they’re going to do it anyway.”
Any new maps would probably change the boundaries of not just Cleaver’s district, but also U.S Representatives Sam Graves and Mark Alford, both Republicans.
Graves opposed a proposal along the same lines in 2022. In February of that year, Graves told KFEQ Radio St. Joseph short term gains could hurt Republicans in the long run.
“The problem is you’re going to have years where it’s going to be Republican and years that are Democrat years. If you’re thinking in terms of partisan politics, in a Democrat year, it could be a disaster for the state,” Graves said in 2022.
He attended a conference Thursday in Kansas City.
Graves told KSHB 41 News he had not spoken with Trump, nor his administration about redistricting. Graves said he doesn’t have enough information on a potential proposal this year to say whether he supports the idea.
“I haven’t even seen a map, I haven’t seen the population shift, I haven’t seen anything,” Graves said. “So we’ll wait and see what comes out.”
Alford sent a statement:
“This redistricting matter is between the governor and the state legislature. I will continue to represent the 4th congressional district constituents no matter where those district lines are drawn. Our office will always strive to give the same concierge level service to Republicans, Democrats, independents when it comes to federal issues, and we will continue to advocate for responsible appropriations projects for our district to help turn the Show Me State into the Grow Me State.”
The White House did not respond to a request seeking clarity on Trump's social media post.
—
