Missouri House Democrats expect to exert newfound leverage on redistricting

For years, Democrats in the Missouri House have struggled to find tangible ways to influence the trajectory of major legislation in a GOP-dominated chamber.

But thanks to a raft of vacancies, House Democrats find themselves with leverage to influence congressional redistricting and, possibly, other major agenda items.

“I would say that we’re excited to have this opportunity,” said House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield.

Right before the start of 2022, state Rep. Dan Shaul, R-Jefferson County, produced a draft congressional map that would have six Republican districts and two Democratic ones. Some conservative Republicans have harshly criticized that approach, contending that the GOP-controlled General Assembly should go for a 7-to-1 map that transforms Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s heavily Democratic Kansas City-based district into reliably GOP turf.

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/2022-01-11/missouri-house-democrats-expect-to-exert-newfound-leverage-on-redistricting?