By Gabe Whisnant

Copyright newsweek

President Donald Trump said the Missouri Senate must pass a mid-decade Congressional redistricting map “as is” after the state’s Republican-led House moved a new plan forward on Tuesday.The Missouri House passed the new districts on a 90-65 vote. Thirteen Republicans, including House Speaker Jon Patterson of suburban Kansas City, joined Democrats in opposition, though only a few spoke against it.The president posted on Truth Social, “This new Map will give the wonderful people of Missouri the opportunity to elect an additional MAGA Republican in the 2026 Midterm Elections. The Missouri Senate must pass this Map now, AS IS, to deliver a gigantic Victory for Republicans in the “Show Me State,” and across the Country.”Why It MattersRepublicans currently hold six of Missouri’s eight U.S. House seats, with Democrats representing districts in Kansas City and St. Louis. The new plan targets Kansas City Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, stretching his district eastward into heavily Republican rural areas while redistributing other parts of Kansas City into GOP-leaning districts.The move is part of a broader national battle over congressional maps, following similar efforts in Republican-led Texas and Democratic-led California. Other states, including Indiana, Florida, Maryland and New York, are also considering revisions.What To KnowU.S. House districts were redrawn nationwide after the 2020 census to reflect population shifts. The current push, known as gerrymandering, is aimed at gaining partisan advantage.Trump has urged Republicans to secure a congressional majority to advance his agenda. Historically, though, the party out of power has gained seats in midterm elections — a pattern that Democrats followed during Trump’s first term before impeaching him.Missouri lawmakers are meeting in a two-pronged special session called by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe. Along with the redistricting plan, the House also passed a measure that would raise the threshold for passing citizen-led constitutional amendments. The proposal would require majority support in each congressional district instead of a simple statewide majority, making it harder to enact initiatives on issues such as abortion rights, marijuana legalization and Medicaid expansion.In a statement, Kehoe praised Republicans for “ensuring that the values of Missourians are represented clearly and effectively.”Cleaver, who turns 81 in October, is a Methodist pastor and former Kansas City mayor first elected to Congress in 2004. He accused Republicans of fostering “intimidation” and “division” and vowed to challenge the map in court.”It’s one of those moments that, frankly, I never thought I would experience,” Cleaver said in an interview with The Associated Press.House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City, denounced the plan as “hyperpartisan gerrymandering” drawn along racial lines. Aune said Democrats expect an initiative petition drive to force a public referendum on the maps if they clear the Senate, a move that could delay or overturn the changes.Republicans countered that the new districts would be more compact and competitive.Leading up to the vote, three Democratic lawmakers staged a days-long sit-in at the House chamber to protest that the session began while most members were absent. Former Vice President Kamala Harris sent them pizza and chicken wings in support.Republicans are “bending a knee to Donald Trump and pushing through these racist, gerrymandered districts,” said Democratic Rep. Ray Reed of St. Louis, one of the sit-in participants.The Missouri NAACP has sued to block the special session, arguing there is no extraordinary circumstance to justify it and that the state constitution bars redistricting absent new census data or a court ruling invalidating current maps.Newly sworn-in Attorney General Catherine Hanaway disagreed, saying Monday she does not believe the state constitution prohibits mid-decade redistricting.What People Are SayingDemocratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in a statement to Newsweek sent via email, “Republicans know they’re in trouble. Donald Trump and his party have ripped health care away from working families and jacked up prices on everyday goods in a self-serving plot to make the ultra-wealthy even wealthier. Now, instead of facing the music with the voters they’ve pissed off, Republicans want to silence them. Democrats won’t let that happen. The Democratic Party is united in our commitment to defend the American people against Republicans’ war on their rights and their pocketbooks. That’s why the DNC is marshaling its resources to Missouri, the latest epicenter of Trump’s gerrymandering scheme. The DNC stands with Missouri Democrats and voters across this country against Trump’s plot to rig congressional maps. From the Missouri state House to Washington, D.C., the American people will be heard.”Trump’s post added, “Congratulations to Missouri’s incredible Republican State Legislators, who just overwhelmingly voted to pass their new, much fairer, and improved, Congressional Map. It was my Great Honor to win Missouri six times, including Primaries, in 2016, 2020, and 2024 (Getting the Highest Number of Votes for any Office in the History of the State!) I will be watching closely. THANK YOU MISSOURI — MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”GOP Rep. Bryant Wolfin said, “Using our raw political power to tilt the playing field to our side, regardless of the party, is wrong.”Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican, said, “It’s a congressional map that will better represent Missouri in Washington, D.C.”Aune said, “Under these new maps, they are erasing Emmanuel Cleaver from Congress essentially.”What Happens NextThe mid-decade redistricting plan now heads to the state Senate where there are 24 Republicans and 10 Democrats.Update: 9/9/25, 7:27 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.Update: 9/9/25, 7:41 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new remarks.This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.