After more than 18 hours, the Missouri Senate is still debating a House-approved congressional redistricting map.
The Senate began debate on the floor late Monday afternoon and has continued nonstop since.
That time has been dedicated to three proposed changes to the map that the Missouri House approved a few weeks ago. That map would likely keep Missouri’s current congressional makeup of six Republican representatives and two Democrats.
The proposed map has drawn criticism from Democrats who argue a map with five Republicans and three Democrats would better reflect the political makeup of the state, while a coalition of Republicans have spent weeks advocating for a 7-1 map.
An amendment from Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, would have created seven likely Republican districts. The map groups a section of the Kansas City area into a district that includes parts of Missouri as far central as Boone County.
In speaking for the amendment, Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake St. Louis, read aloud supportive messages from Missourians advocating a 7-1 map, including one about the need to send more Republicans to Washington.
“That’s what’s at stake. Control of Congress is held by a razor thin edge. Democrats around the country are playing hardball, and we’re playing patty-cake,” Onder said.
Ultimately, after around five hours of debate, Senate Democrats joined a majority of Republicans in voting against the amendment by a vote of 24-8.
Since then debate, including at times hours dedicated to filibustering by not talking about the maps, has occurred over two further amendments.
The first, introduced by Sen. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, would make modifications to the 1st Congressional District, moving it more northwest and increasing its minority population. Changes to account for that would also occur to the 2nd District. The 1st is currently represented by Cori Bush, D-St. Louis County and the 2nd by Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin.
“The 1st Congressional District is the only district in our state that’s protected by the Voting Rights Act and this is a change to those two districts that would increase minority representation,” Roberts said.
After hours of debate on that amendment without a vote, Majority Floor Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, introduced an amendment to Roberts’ amendment. This amendment keeps Robert’s changes to the 1st District, but makes changes to both the 2nd and 3rd, which is represented by Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth.
“I do think we’ve managed to do some things that I think make this map slightly more attractive to folks interested in a stronger, more republican CD2,” Rowden said
Under Rowden’s amendment, the 2nd District would include all of Jefferson County, which is in the 3rd District under the House map. Rowden has previously said the most likely changes he saw happening to the map were to the 2nd and 3rd districts.
Debate on Rowden’s amendment continues, with no conclusion immediately in sight.
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