Fate of Missouri congressional redistricting top of mind at governor’s annual ham breakfast
Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and Republican nominee Rick Brattin attended the Governor’s Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair on Thursday while the boundaries of the district they’re running in are still tied up in court.
Both are awaiting an eventual decision from the Missouri Supreme Court about the fate of a proposed referendum on the new congressional district map Missouri lawmakers passed in 2025.
The map was drawn in part of a national effort from Republicans to create more Republican-leaning congressional seats in states including Missouri, Texas and Florida.
Missouri’s new map aims to draw Cleaver out of his 5th District seat in part by dividing the Kansas City area into three districts.
Cleaver said there’s a reason why redistricting happens right after the census, not halfway into the decade.
“This is not an intelligent decision. I mean, it wasn't based on anything factual. It was a phone call from Washington. We want Cleaver out, and we want our person in and t…