JEFFERSON CITY — The push by some Missouri Republicans for a U.S. congressional map that sends a Kansas City Democrat packing appears to be fading.
Sen. Bob Onder, a hard-line conservative from Lake Saint Louis, on Wednesday signaled talks have shifted from whether to squeeze out Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver to how to fortify the currently suburban ºüÀêÊÓƵ County-based 2nd Congressional District for Republicans.
Sparing Cleaver’s seat would be a partial victory for Democrats, who have resisted attempts to eliminate one of Missouri’s two Democratic U.S. House seats. Republicans currently represent the state’s other six congressional districts.
But whether the conservatives ultimately give up their push for a so-called “7-1†map without a showdown on the Senate floor won’t be determined until official debate begins as early as Monday. The so-called Conservative Caucus could be emboldened after they upended Gov. Mike Parson’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Senior Services this week.
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Still, the acknowledgement from at least one hard-liner that the political will for a “7-1†map was lacking is significant and comes as pressure begins to mount for Republicans to finalize a congressional plan and move on to other topics during the election year legislative session.
Onder predicted the 2nd Congressional District as currently envisioned would “almost undoubtedly†vote Democrat this decade. U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner currently represents the district.
“I far prefer a 7-1 map,†Onder told the Post-Dispatch on Wednesday. “But for heaven’s sakes, at very least let’s not give away Congressional District No. 2 (to the Democrats).
“I personally, strongly feel that we need to go with 7-1,†Onder said. “But I don’t know that Senate leadership is willing to go along with that. Certainly House leadership strongly opposed a 7-1 when they didn’t allow Rep. (Nick) Schroer to offer his amendment.â€
Onder and Sen. Bill Eigel, both of St. Charles County, are pushing for a map that keeps their home county in the same congressional district.
“The ones that I’ve been working on with Senator Eigel, also of St. Charles County, and they definitely keep St. Charles County whole,†Onder said.
The House plan, approved last month with only Republican support, splits St. Charles County between the 2nd and 3rd districts.
“I think definitely St. Charles County represents a community of interest that ought to be kept whole,†Onder said. “St. Charles County’s been divided for 40 years and I believe inappropriately so. So just like Speaker (Rob) Vescovo and Pro Tem (Dave) Schatz want to keep their counties whole, Jefferson County and Franklin County whole, I very much want to see St. Charles County kept whole.â€
With Onder and Eigel pushing to keep St. Charles County together, the resulting map splits Democratic-leaning ºüÀêÊÓƵ County three ways, between the 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts, Onder said.
“The 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts would all have parts of ºüÀêÊÓƵ County,†Onder said. Asked which parts of ºüÀêÊÓƵ County would be placed in the 3rd District, Onder said, “some of south ºüÀêÊÓƵ County. I don’t have exact streets or precincts for you.â€
Onder said the 3rd Congressional District, currently represented by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, in Miller County, would also include counties that run along the Missouri River such as Franklin, Gasconade and Osage.
“I’m not going to commit to the precise details of the map, but that would be the general outlines,†Onder said. “Some of ºüÀêÊÓƵ County would go into the 3rd, some would be in the 2nd and then the 2nd would stretch out into St. Charles County.â€
Meanwhile, Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, a Jefferson City Republican and the chairman of the Senate Redistricting Committee, said Wednesday that he has tweaked the House version to alter the 3rd Congressional District.
That affects the shape of the 2nd District. He said that has caused an impasse that is not yet resolved.
“I don’t really see a solution because there is a group of senators that call themselves the so-called ‘Conservative Caucus’ and they think their ideas are better than the rest of the Senate,†Bernskoetter said.
“But they don’t have the majority,†he said. “They feel like they are not being heard. We’re listening. It’s just most of the people aren’t necessarily on board with their ideas.
“I guess everything’s kind of at a standstill because they want to do the map differently,†Bernskoetter said. “We’re listening to them. We’re trying to see if there is a solution.â€
Rep. Dan Shaul, the Imperial Republican who sponsored the House map, said prolonged debate over redistricting is slowing progress on other GOP priorities.
“I’d like to see us pass IP (initiative petition reform), voter ID, and I’d like to move on,†he said.
Originally posted at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2.