Trump-backed Rick Brattin seeks GOP nomination in reshaped 5th District
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KMIZ)
One of Missouri's largest congressional primaries is unfolding Tuesday, as six Republicans compete for the chance to challenge longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver in a dramatically reshaped 5th Congressional District.
Among the candidates is state Sen. Rick Brattin, who has emerged as one of the race's highest-profile contenders after receiving endorsements from President Donald Trump and Gov. Mike Kehoe.
Trump endorsed Brattin on Monday on his social media site Truth Social, praising his military service and voting record in the Missouri Senate, saying that the 46-year-old would bring a “Fighting Spirit” to Congress.
Brattin is hosting an election watch party in Independence.
On the campaign trail, Brattin has focused heavily on immigration, calling illegal immigration one of the biggest issues facing the district. He has argued that reducing illegal immigration would also help lower costs for Americans because immigrants are taking jobs and housing, when asked by ABC 17 News how he planned to tackle affordability.
The Republican field also includes Taylor Burks, Brett Hueffmeier, Micah Beebe, Berton Knox and Brad Patty. Cleaver is unopposed in the Democratic primary, while independent Todd Becker has also filed for the November general election.
While Tuesday's primary will determine who advances to November, the bigger story may be the district itself.
Missouri lawmakers redrew the 5th Congressional District during a 2025 special legislative session with the stated goal of creating a more Republican-friendly seat. The district, once centered almost entirely around Kansas City, now stretches from the Kansas border to Osage County and includes much of Boone County as well as all of Cole County.
Under the new map, 12 of the district's 14 counties voted Republican in the 2024 statewide general election, with Boone and Jackson counties as the lone districts to vote Democrat. However, Boone County is now split under the new map, with only the northeastern portion remaining in the 5th Congressional District, potentially reducing Democratic influence in the race.
Those changes have transformed what had been considered a reliably Democratic district into one Republicans believe is far more competitive. Cleaver has represented the district since 2005 and won the past three general elections under the previous district boundaries. The redrawn map, however, creates a significantly different political landscape heading into November.
Another indicator to watch Tuesday night will be voter turnout. GOP primary participation has been lower compared to Democrats in recent years.
Before the redrawn maps, Sean Smith, who ran unopposed in the 2024 Republican primary, received 32,574 votes, compared to Cleaver, who got 65,248 and also ran unopposed.
In the past three general elections won by Cleaver, the highest percentage of the vote a Republican candidate received was 38.6% by Ryan Derks in 2020.
Election results and turnout from both parties could provide an early indication of whether the redrawn district is behaving more like the Republican-leaning seat lawmakers envisioned or remains competitive heading into the general election.
