Missouri governor calls special session to redraw congressional map

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe on Friday called the state legislature into special session next week to redraw congressional district lines, a move he said is intended to bolster Republican representation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The session is set to begin Wednesday and comes amid a broader push by President Donald Trump and Republican officials in other states to pursue middecade redistricting gains.

Kehoe said in a statement that the "Missouri First Map" would ensure that "Missouri's conservative, commonsense values should be truly represented at all levels of government." He also called for changes to the state's initiative petition process. Earlier in the week Kehoe told reporters he was not ready to make a formal announcement, saying there were "a lot of moving puzzle pieces," but he moved forward with the special session later in the week.

Republicans control two thirds of seats in both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly, and the state currently sends six Republicans and two Democrats to the U.S. House. The proposed redistricting plan would alter the Kansas City centered 5th Congressional District, held by Representative Emanuel Cleaver, a Democrat, by...