Missouri Senate adjourns with no decision on congressional redistricting map proposal
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Senate adjourned at 7:33 Wednesday night with no decision on the new congressional districts.
State lawmakers in the Missouri Senate were debating Wednesday a proposal to redraw Missouri's U.S House districts. The proposal advanced Tuesday after a Senate committee pushed the redistricting plan forward to the floor. Members of the Missouri House of Representatives approved the plan earlier this month.
Missouri Senate Chamber audio livestream:
Missouri is required to redraw the congressional districts after each Census to adjust for population growth or loss.
The current proposal features six Republican districts and two Democratic districts. Some Republican state lawmakers want a map with seven Republican districts and one Democratic district, breaking up the district representing Kansas City.
Much of Wednesday's discussion was about adding another Republican-leaning district. Conservative Republicans, like Sen. Bob Onder (R-St. Charles), want to create a map that has seven Republican-likely districts and one Democratic-likely district.
"We are in an unprecedented time in our nation's history," Onder said. "The control of both houses of congress is held by a breath."
Majority floor leader Sen. Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) does not share this desire.
"I think the map's fine, I think it's reflective of the state and reflective of the trends and certainly if we get to a vote I'm going to vote for it," Rowden said.
On the other side of the aisle, Democrats don't think two Democratic-leaning districts is enough.
"I'm advocating for a map that has three Democrats and five Republicans," said Sen. Brian Williams (D-St. Louis).
Williams cites the 2020 presidential election as reason for more Democratic-leaning districts because nearly 40% of Missourians voted for Pres. Joe Biden.
The proposal would move several counties into the Fourth District, which includes Columbia and other parts of Mid-Missouri and is represented by Republican Vicky Hartzler, who is running for U.S. Senate. Saline, Monroe and Lafayette counties would move into the Fourth District under the new map.
The Third Congressional District, which includes Jefferson City, Fulton and much of the southern and eastern stretches of Central Missouri, would remain largely unchanged. That district is represented by Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth.
