Fifth Congressional District

The Fifth Congressional District has taken on a vastly different shape in the 2026 election.

The Fifth was at the center of a Republican push to redraw the state's congressional districts mid-decade to gain an advantage in the House of Representatives. The map that was redrawn by the majority-Republican General Assembly broke up Kansas City's Fifth District -- one of two safely Democratic U.S. House seats in the state.

Incumbent Democrat Emanuel Cleaver is running unopposed in his party's primary. But he'll have to win a very red district in November to retain his seat.

The chance to flip the Fifth has brought seven Republicans to the race:

• Taylor Burks of Columbia;
• Brad Patty of Fayette;
• Brett Huffmeier of Kansas City;
• Rick Brattin of Harrisonville;
• Berton Knox of North Kansas City;
• and Micah Beebe of Lee's Summit.

The district includes roughly the north half of Boone County, excluding Columbia, along with Cooper, Howard, Saline, Pettis, Morgan, Miller, Moniteau, Cole, Maries and Osage counties. It stretches to the Kansas border.