Missouri approved a new electoral map that adds a Republican congressional seat

The Missouri Legislature approved a new electoral map that adds a Republican-leaning seat for the House of Representatives. The state Senate was the latest test of the bill, which had the backing of President Donald Trump and Governor Mike Kehoe. Both celebrated the result on social networks.

In this way, Missouri becomes the second Republican state to redraw the electoral map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The first was Texas, which added some five Republican seats.

The new map particularly changes the fifth congressional district, which includes Kansas City and is currently represented by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver. It also redraws the second district to consolidate its Republican lean. If ratified by Governor Kehoe, Republicans would hold seven of the eight seats in the lower house.

Trump celebrated the vote on his Truth Social account, "Thank you very much to the Great State of Missouri for the Redistricting which will, hopefully, give us an additional Seat in Congress!"

"A new, much fairer, and much improved Congressional Map has now overwhelmingly passed both chambers of the Missouri Legislature. Congratulations to Governor Mike Kehoe, Senate President Pro Tempore Cindy O'Laughlin, Senate Majority Floor Leader Tony Luetkemeyer, Speaker Pro Tem Chad Perkins, Representative Dirk Deaton, and many other patriotic legislators for your FANTASTIC work on this new map, which will help send an additional MAGA Republican to Congress in the 2026 midterm elections," the chairman added.

Kehoe, who was elected in November 2024, anticipated enacting the new map in the coming days. In addition, he touted his intellectual property reform, also passed by the Senate.

"The Missouri FIRST Map has officially passed the Missouri Senate and is now headed to my desk, where we will review the legislation and sign it into law soon. The legislature also passed critically needed IP reform, giving Missouri voters the chance to protect our Constitution at the ballot box," he posted on his X account. 

I want to thank the bill sponsors and handlers in the House and Senate, Republican leadership, and every member of the legislature for their work this week," he added.

The local House approved the map on Tuesday, while the Senate vote ended Friday with 21 in favor and 11 opposed. Only two Republicans voted against, Lincoln Hough and Mike Moon.