U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II addresses the crowd during the 161st annual Emancipation Proclamation celebration Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, at Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in the 1600 block of North Euclid Avenue.
Just to be clear, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II of Kansas City plans to run for reelection to Congress — regardless of what happens in the Missouri Legislature's special-session redistricting efforts.
Cleaver clearly to run at a press conference Saturday at a Laborers Union rally, a campaign spokesperson said.
Cleaver, a Democrat, is watching as the GOP-controlled state House attempts — at the behest of President Donald Trump — to redraw the state Congressional districts in a way that would make a Democratic victory unlikely in the Kansas City area.
If the GOP plan is successful, Missouri would have a 7-1 split between Republican and Democratic House members, instead of the current 6-2 ratio.
Cleaver also has said he would file suit if any redistricting plan changed the existing boundaries of the district.
A former Kansas City mayor and council member, Cleaver first was elected to the U.S. House in 2004.
Cleaver has an active account with the Federal Election Commission, which shows he has about $817,000 in his campaign coffers. He also has been seeking contributions through social media.
Two other Democrats, Jordan Herrera and Hartzell Gray, also have filed for the Democratic primary. At this time, no Republicans have declared for the race.
The Post-Dispatch previously has reported that state Sen. Kurtis Gregory of Marshall; Katie Ashcroft of Jefferson City, the wife of the former secretary of state; and Gov. Mike Kehoe’s campaign manager, Derek Coats of Columbia, have been suggested as GOP possibles.
After stories in the Post-Dispatch, Comptroller Donna Baringer asked for a probe into how two payroll checks were issued to her predecessor.
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II addresses the crowd during the 161st annual Emancipation Proclamation celebration Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, at Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in the 1600 block of North Euclid Avenue.
