Missouri governor open to redrawing Missouri congressional seats
Matthew Sanders
SEDALIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said Thursday that he’s interested in “making sure America’s voice matches Missouri’s values” in Congress as the debate continues over whether Republican-heavy states should redraw their U.S. House maps.
Kehoe took questions from reporters after speaking during the opening of the Missouri State Fair on Thursday morning in Sedalia. A Kehoe spokesperson told ABC 17 News this week that the governor has had several conversations with the Trump administration about Missouri redistricting.
“As I’ve told everybody, the way the maps have been drawn have been talked about since we drew them or the House and Senate drew them four years ago,” Kehoe said of the state’s current House district, which were drawn after the 2020 census. “Nobody’s been exactly happy with it, so looking at how that might be more compact and contingent, making sure that America’s voice matches Missouri’s values, and Missouri is a great conservative Christian value state, and I think we’re always going to try to make sure that we support [Republican House Speak Mike Johnson] and that we don’t have an alternative.”
Kehoe said Democrats do not represent Missouri’s values.
The Trump administration has spoken with leaders in red states about redrawing their congressional districts to add more Republican-friendly seats to the U.S. House. Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in the chamber.
Missouri has eight congressional districts, with just two represented by Democrats. Those districts are in St. Louis and Kansas City.
Several Missouri Republicans have expressed support for redrawing the maps, including state Senate leaders and the Missouri Freedom Caucus. Democrats oppose any changes.
The Missouri Legislative Black Caucus scheduled a news conference for Thursday afternoon for members to talk about their opposition to the idea.