U.S. House of Representatives

Fred Wellman is the host of the On Democracy podcast, which has been critical of the Republican Party gravitation to Donald Trump. He's the second candidate to join the Democratic primary for the 2nd District, which has become more competitive in recent years.

A rarely-used maneuver could force a vote in the U.S. House on a bill requiring the Justice Department to publicly disclosed unclassified records and documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver has signed onto the petition, but of Missouri's GOP representatives, only Rep. Mark Alford says he will vote to advance the bill.

The Kansas Senate president has been at the forefront of efforts to redraw the boundaries of the state's congressional districts, following hot on the heels of Missouri. It would be Republican lawmaker's second attempt in the last three years to push out Rep. Sharice Davids, the state’s only Democratic representative.

Republican leaders in the Kansas Legislature want to follow the lead of states like Texas and Missouri by gerrymandering the state's congressional maps to favor Republicans. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat who represents the state's 3rd district, says the idea of splitting up Johnson County is "ludicrous."

President Trump wants Kansas to shift its congressional boundaries to help elect another Republican from the state.

Missouri senators are expected to debate and then vote Friday on a Republican-drawn map that seeks to oust Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, as well as a plan to make it harder to pass citizen-led constitutional amendments. Cleaver gave an impassioned testimony against the effort Thursday.

The proposed map would split Kansas City, diluting votes from the 5th Congressional District and spreading them around the 4th and 6th districts. During the special session, legislators also will consider changes to Missouri's initiative petition process.

U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell, a Democrat representing St. Louis County, was repeatedly challenged about the war in Gaza at a town hall that drew about 300 people. The event ended with security officers and police getting into a physical altercation with protesters, but no arrests were made.

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

Long was confirmed to the post by the U.S. Senate in a 53-44 vote on June 12.

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.

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.