President Donald Trump expressed his congratulations to Missouri Senators for passing a bill that redraws district lines, potentially helping Republicans secure more seats, although some legislators had previously signed the law.
The bill, which received a vote of 90-65, is now on its way to the state Senate. Democrats are anticipated to employ various procedural tactics to delay its final approval.
“Congratulations to the amazing Republican state legislators in Missouri. They overwhelmingly supported a new, more equitable and improved Congressional map,” Trump stated. “I feel it was truly an honor to win Missouri six times, including in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 primaries, achieving the highest number of votes for any office in the state’s history.”
Trump was the first to convene Missouri Senators for a special legislative session focused on reviewing the new map.
“The Missouri Senate needs to finalize this map and secure a significant victory for Republicans,” Trump added. “I’m seeing a lot of good things. Grateful to Missouri – let’s make America great again!”
According to the revised map, Missouri will send eight Republicans and two Democrats to the House. It splits Kansas City into three districts rather than two, complicating the prospects for Democrats, particularly in the 5th Congressional District held by Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO).
“Redistricting midway through a decade is unwise and possibly unconstitutional,” Cleaver commented, indicating intentions to pursue a lawsuit against the changes.
Missouri follows in the footsteps of Texas and California, where Republican-led initiatives may lead to additional seats for their party following legislative changes. Other Republican-controlled states like Indiana and Florida are also looking into designing new maps to gain more Republican seats. Ohio faces a court-mandated redistricting that might yield them an additional seat or two.
Despite threats from the Democratic governor regarding “retaliatory” redistricting, reports suggest that Democratic-run states are increasingly marginalizing Republican voters through gerrymandering, limiting opportunities for Democrats to gain more seats.
Supporters of Trump argue that Republican legislatures are more accommodating to Democrats than vice versa, which has impacted party control, especially following the elections where Trump won in seven battleground states.
If the Missouri Senate adheres to Trump’s guidance, Republicans might find themselves closer to rectifying what they perceive as an injustice.
