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JEFFERSON CITY — Facing a storm of criticism, Republicans in the Missouri House Thursday defended their plan to comply with President Donald Trump’s push to redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of next year’s mid-term elections.

As part of a special session called by Gov. Mike Kehoe, a committee on redistricting heard more than five hours of testimony centering on plans to split Kansas City’s compact 5th district, represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, into three districts where Republicans would have an electoral edge.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Dirk Deaton, R-Noel, would stretch the boundaries of the 5th district across ²Ñ¾±²õ²õ´Ç³Ü°ù¾±â€™s mid-section to include more Republican areas around Sedalia, Jefferson City and rural areas north of Boone County.

“It is my belief that this is a better map for Missouri,� said Deaton, who also serves as chairman of the powerful House Budget Committee. “If there are more Republicans in Congress, I think that would be a good thing.�

The committee is poised to advance the measure to the full House early next week and, pending passage, will move to the GOP-controlled Senate by Wednesday.

Democrats said it was a political power grab by Trump, assisted by Missouri Republicans.

“I think this map puts D.C. first,� said Rep. Mark Sharp, D-Kansas City. “Democracy in Missouri is taking a devastating blow. I can’t tell you how angry I am. It will not end well.�

Missouri currently has six safe Republican seats and two Democratic seats, both located in the state’s urban centers of 51ºÚÁÏ and Kansas City.

By revamping the 5th district, Republicans want Missouri to become a 7-1 GOP state.

A similar plan was floated during the 2022 post-census legislative session, but was rejected in favor of the 6-2 map.

Cleaver, who turns 81 in October, has not committed to running for a 12th term in Congress. He said Monday he plans to file a lawsuit if the changes are enacted.

University of Missouri-Columbia political scientist Peverill Squire said the proposed new 5th district would be an uphill battle for any Democrat.

“But as an incumbent Cleaver enjoys name recognition and he would likely be able to raise enough money to make the race competitive. Moreover, if the tide turns against the Republicans, and midterm elections usually tilt against the president’s party, he may still be able to take the seat,� Squire said Thursday.

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, said Republicans were asking lawmakers to vote on the changes without providing demographic information about the new districts, including racial make-up, income and population figures.

“Everything about this process reeks of an authoritarian power grab,� Aune said. “That GOP overlords in Washington are dictating what our congressional districts should look like is anti-democratic. But not letting Missourians know the details of what they’re doing destroys any pretense that elected Republicans in our state are anything more than the meek pawns doing the bidding of their master.�

Kehoe spokeswoman Gabby Picard said the information could be made available in the coming days.

A Post-Dispatch analysis using 2020 census information shows the 5th district losing a significant chunk of Black voters. The 1st and 2nd districts in the 51ºÚÁÏ region would become slightly more white, while the 3rd district would see a moderate shift to become more Black as it captures a larger share of St. Charles County.

People Not Politicians Missouri, representing a coalition of Kansas City groups aligned with Democrats, was among those blasting the proposal.

“The redrawn map would lump together urban Kansas City residents with rural Missourians living over 250 miles away near the Iowa/Illinois border, threatening to dilute community voices and undermine fair representation,� the organization said.

“This map is challenging the rights of Black and brown people like me and others, their right to vote,� said Rep. Yolanda Young, D-Kansas City. “They are saying these maps are rigged.�

Democrat Meredith Sumenek, a candidate for a seat in the Missouri House in south 51ºÚÁÏ County, told the panel that it should not be catering to Trump.

“It is disgusting that you are following the lead of the federal government. We are not beholden to the federal government,� Sumenik said. “I’m here to tell you, people are sick of your garbage. You are not gods.�

²Ñ¾±²õ²õ´Ç³Ü°ù¾±â€™s entry into the redistricting fray comes after Texas held a similar mid-decade redrawing of the state’s congressional boundaries aimed at sending more Republicans to the narrowly divided U.S. House next year.

California is asking voters to approve a new map that would send more Democrats to Congress in a counterpunch to Trump.

Kehoe’s special session drew a lawsuit Wednesday from the Missouri chapter of the NAACP, arguing that Kehoe’s decision to call lawmakers to the Capitol is unconstitutional because the subject does not qualify as an “extraordinary occasion.�

The organization wants a Cole County judge to block the session.

The marks the first of what could be multiple legal challenges to the gerrymandering plan asking whether congressional maps can be drawn mid-cycle without a new census count to ensure all districts are of equal population.