Congressional map debate expected to resume Wednesday

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri State senators spent the day working on bills but have not touched redistricting since last week.

The new congressional map has been hotly debated over the last couple of weeks.

Floor leader Senator Caleb Rowden says the senate plans to take up the new congressional map as early as Wednesday. He controls which bills do and don't make it to the floor for debate.

As far as when the debate will end, both say they hope a decision will be made this week.

Dozens came to the capitol today to rally for a map that likely sends seven Republicans to congress.

It's a map some Republicans are fighting to see happen.

Republican Senator Rick Brattin says he believes the 7-1 map best represents Missouri.

"I'd like to see a map drawn to a 7-1 reflection I believe that would reflect Missouri better in our congressional delegation," Brattin said.

For the past four weeks, senators have been debating the congressional map Republican Senator Rick Brattin said they will debate for as long as they need to get the right map.

"It's quite clear this is our duty our responsibility every ten years. The constitution dictates what we do by the constitution article three section 45 requires us to redistrict and we also have a requirement for the budget," Brattin said.

Democrat Senator Brian Williams said democrats are fighting for a different map.

"In Missouri, there's a 60-40 electorate, so we need to have a fair map, and I believe that a fair map would be five Republican congressional and three Democrats," Williams said.

Williams said the debates and today's rallies are holding up important things that need to get done.

"We have seven billion dollars in our state that came with federal dollars from the Biden administration, that could go towards rebuilding infrastructure, addressing issues around public safety, being able to invest that our state is in better position then before COVID-19," Williams said.

Senators on both sides are hopeful a map will be approved by this week. Senators have until Monday to come to a decision.

"If we don't get it done this week, eventually we are probably going to have to send it to the courts. Filing for state offices as well as federal offices opens February 22," Williams said.

The current map has six Republicans and two Democrats in Washington.

Bratton said Republicans need to push for the 7-1 map and that a 6-2 map would be a compromise.