GOP Gov Calls For Special Legislative Session To Redraw Congressional Map After Texas Passes Redistricting Bill

Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe of Missouri will convene lawmakers next week to redraw the state’s congressional districts in a move that could flip a Democratic seat to Republican control, Fox 2 News reported.

The special session begins Wednesday, September 3 at noon, with Republicans targeting Kansas City Democrat Emanuel Cleaver’s 5th Congressional District, according to Fox 2 News. The GOP-backed plan intends to reshape the district to favor Republican candidates, potentially shifting Missouri’s current 6-2 Republican advantage in Congress to a 7-1 split.

“This is about clarity for voters and ownership of our future, and I hope the legislature will work together to pass our Missouri First Map and critically needed IP reform,” Kehoe said Friday, the outlet reported. The session will also address reforming the state’s initiative petition process, a long-standing conservative priority.

Democratic leaders from the Missouri House of Representatives expect Governor Mike Kehoe to call them back to Jefferson City next week, formally asking them to change the state’s congressional district boundaries.https://t.co/ULzHnb5BJt pic.twitter.com/soyw9OGFlj

— KSHB 41 News (@KSHB41) August 29, 2025

The timing follows Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signing new congressional maps into law just hours earlier. President Donald Trump has urged Republican-led states to pursue redistricting efforts as part of a broader national strategy to redraw political boundaries. (RELATED: ‘Have They Been Rigged?’: Scott Jennings Lists Blue States Where Dems Dominate Congressional Maps)

Democrats immediately condemned the move. “This move represents an alarming abuse of power and a blatant attempt to rig the electoral map for partisan gain,” Missouri Democratic Party Chairman Russ Carnahan commented, according to the outlet.

Representative Cleaver, whose seat faces elimination under the proposed maps, vowed resistance. “I will not surrender the voices of the people who entrusted me to fight for them,” Cleaver said. “In the courts and at the ballot box, we will demand that the rule of law is upheld, our voices are heard, and democracy prevails.”

The extraordinary session will overlap with the already-scheduled September 10 veto session, according to the outlet.