KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A crowd of over 1,000 city workers, unions and local allies swelled the Mill Creek Park on the County Club Plaza to protest Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s redistricting efforts in a Labor Day rally Monday.
Several entities were represented and also rallied for fair wages and paid sick days, including Stand Up KC, Missouri Workers Center, SEIU Local 1, SEIU Healthcare, and other unions, Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, Indivisible KC, and 50501 KC.
“We take incredible risk to speak out, but it’s worth it every single time,” said Carter Taylor, the legislative chair for the American Federation of Teachers 691 and a Kansas City Public Schools teacher. “Before, we could take this as a moment to celebrate, not so much anymore.”
In addition to rallying, groups also tabled to provide attendees with resources and informational materials.
The rally comes after Kehoe announced a special session Friday in response to President Donald Trump’s nationwide push to redraw congressional lines ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections.
“I appreciate President Donald Trump for raising the level of conversation on this matter,” Kehoe said in a video posted to X late Friday afternoon.
Kehoe’s proposal includes a Missouri First Map that redraws the boundaries of the state’s congressional districts.
The new map puts the Plaza and downtown Kansas City, Missouri, under U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R - 4th District).
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D - 5th District) would have his district spread to mid-Missouri and the Lake of the Ozarks.
“It’s hurting human beings,” Cleaver said about this proposal. “We have a lot of losses coming toward us unless we are able to reverse this horrible decision.”
A spokesperson for Alford said the District 4 representative had family obligations Monday, but shared a post Alford made on X from Saturday.
In this post, Alford says he stands behind Governor Kehoe and plans to advance the America First agenda no matter where district lines fall.
Cleaver, who’s been vocal in his opposition to this proposal, attended Monday’s rally.
“They messed with the wrong person if they thought I was going to lay down and let it go,” Cleaver said. “All these people came out because they’re concerned, and I think fear is a good word right now.”
Cleaver’s stated in the past that he believes changing the boundaries of his district would make it easier for a Republican to win the seat.
Currently, six of the eight Missouri U.S. Representatives are Republicans.
It’s not the first time Cleaver’s seat has been in jeopardy, he said Monday.
He recalls being in a similar situation three years prior that failed, stating that 57 Republicans voted against the past effort.
“There are a lot of people who don’t like it, but they’re remaining silent, and many of them are in the United States House of Representatives and the US Senate,” Cleaver said. “There’s nothing logical about it except what the president said…he needed more seats because of his fear of losing the House in next year’s election.”
Rally attendees put a lot of focus on Missouri Speaker of the House Dr. Jonathan Patterson, (R - District 30), who represents Kansas City suburbs protesters say are “most at risk in Missouri.”
They criticized Patterson for “trying to ram through the legislature new congressional maps that would break up Kansas City’s working-class communities and silence the voices of disproportionately Black and Brown voters in the 5th congressional district.”
A spokesperson for Patterson shared a statement on his behalf with KSHB 41 on Monday:
“The governor has called the special session and every Missourian’s voice will have a chance to be heard through their elected representatives,” the statement read.
Several attendees say they plan to be at the state Capitol in Jefferson City this week and next.
Wednesday’s special discussion won’t yield any day-of decision, but that’s expected to come within the next week.
KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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