Missouri voters reject GOP House map aimed at Kansas City seat
Why it matters: The defeat blocks a Republican bid to gain a U.S. House seat in the 2026 midterms by reshaping Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's district.
Missouri voters rejected a Republican-backed congressional map that had been put on the ballot after a court fight, halting an effort to redraw the Kansas City area in the GOP's favor. State lawmakers passed the map last year to try to unseat Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and add another Republican-held House seat. Missouri's top court ruled the map could not be used for the 2026 midterms and ordered voters to decide its fate instead. The U.S. Supreme Court left that ruling in place. Cleaver then won reelection Tuesday, according to an Associated Press race call. The fight in Missouri was part of a broader mid-decade redistricting push as both parties seek advantages before future elections.