Midterms

Former Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, who served under President Barack Obama, and Republican strategist Annie Kelly Kuhle joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss next week’s midterm elections.

Wages in the region, already lower than other parts of the country, have stagnated. Like everywhere else, prices for essentials continue to rise. Polls show most voters blame the Trump administration.

Midterm elections are just over a week away, and a lot is at stake for both Republicans and Democrats in Missouri. Several key measures and races appearing on the ballot could have big impacts on the future of the state's political ecosystem.

Journalist Chuck Todd will be in Kansas City this weekend to accept a leadership award from the Poynter Institute, a journalism nonprofit. He joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss the midterm elections, including the competitive U.S. Senate race in Kansas and Missouri's congressional redistricting "chaos."

Data centers that power AI are exploding across the Midwest — and so is opposition to them. Now, people across the political spectrum want to see stricter regulation and more transparency.

Big tech companies are facing formidable opposition from a coalition of people across the political spectrum. Meanwhile, local elected officials find themselves scrambling to draft regulations and defend themselves against accusations of secrecy.

The Missouri Republican Party is mulling over how national headwinds could affect key state legislative races and ballot initiatives, such as an abortion ban and redistricting referendum. Plus: Missouri colleges and universities are racing to fulfill a new request for student data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Missouri is one of many states facing pressure from President Donald Trump to redistrict before the 2026 midterm elections. The 5th Congressional District, which encompasses Kansas City, could be targeted — with the goal of forcing out Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.

President Trump is asking Missouri Republican lawmakers to re-draw its congressional districts around Kansas City, aiming to flip Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's seat. It's part of a larger push to redraw congressional lines to benefit Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Republicans scored big wins from Eric Schmitt in the U.S. Senate contest and Scott Fitzpatrick in the auditor’s race, but Democrats came out on top in Missouri’s only competitive state Senate contest and gained in the House.

Two very close races have been called in Kansas: Incumbent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly won a second term, with about a 1.5% lead over her Republican opponent, state Attorney General Derek Schmidt. And Republican Kris Kobach beat Democrat Chris Mann by about 2 points in his bid for attorney general.

In Missouri, voters have approved the recreational use of marijuana by adults and will send Republican Eric Schmitt to the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile in Kansas, voters gave Democrat Sharice Davids another term in the U.S. House of Representatives.