Missouri governor calls special session to redraw congressional maps in push to boost GOP seats

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Friday that he will convene the state’s General Assembly for a special session next week to redraw congressional maps as Republicans push to create more GOP-leaning districts ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Kehoe said in a statement outlining the move that for the special session starting Wednesday he is directing the state’s Republican-controlled legislature to “take action on redistricting” to ensure districts “truly put Missouri values first.”

“Missourians are more alike than we are different, and our Missouri values, across both sides of the aisle, are closer to each other than those of the extreme Left representation of New York, California, and Illinois,” he said.

The directive makes Missouri the second Republican-led state to move ahead with redrawing their congressional maps to favor the GOP heading into the 2026 midterm elections. The effort is backed by President Donald Trump as the party seeks to keep control of the House where Republicans have a slim majority over Democrats.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed new congressional maps into law that could create as many as five new pick-up opportunities for the party. The Republican governor said in a post on X that the maps ensure a “fairer representation” of Texas, which he posited “will be more RED in Congress.”