Missouri 5th District

Missouri Republican lawmakers seem to have all the leverage to gerrymander congressional districts in September, with the explicitly partisan aim of making it difficult for Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver to win reelection. But if they succeed, it could unleash a torrent of legal and political consequences.

Democratic state Sen. Patty Lewis of Kansas City says a special session on congressional redistricting could backfire on Republicans in a number of ways.

Gov. Mike Kehoe is considering a request from the Trump administration to call a special session so Republicans can gain a seat in the state's eight-member congressional delegation.

In a little more than a week, the idea of redrawing Missouri’s congressional district lines has gained momentum among Republicans — with the explicitly partisan purpose of watering down Democratic voting power in the Kansas City-area 5th District, and forcing U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver out of his seat.

Two Democratic candidates recently launched their campaigns against Cleaver for his seat in Missouri’s 5th Congressional District. That race will only get more challenging as a battle looms for possible redistricting that would make the seat more conservative.

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.

Missouri's Freedom Caucus is pressing Gov. Mike Kehoe to call a special session to redraw Cleaver's Kansas City-based district. Cleaver said that mid-decade redistricting would "tear up the country" by creating a "MAGA government."

If Missouri Republicans revamp their map to oust Kansas City Democrat Emanuel Cleaver, it could backfire at the ballot box — and in court. President Trump is publicly urging Republican-led states to pursue mid-decade redistricting to win more U.S. House seats.