Missouri senators debate for more than 24 hours on Congressional redistricting

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) - A debate over Congressional redistricting lasted more than 24 hours on the Senate floor at the Missouri Capitol.

Some conservative Republicans proposed what they describe as a 7-1 map. Then 24 senators, both Democratic and Republican, voted against it.

”When you look at Missouri and kind of statewide vote totals and, you know, the worst possible years for Democrats, we are about a 60-40 state,” said State Senator Greg Razer, a Democrat from Kansas City. “If you look over the last 10 years, we should have a five-three Republican to Democratic map,”

Senator Razer says the map they received from the House was gerrymandered.

“Last night, that was a group of very conservative Republicans, who tried to gerrymander Kansas City in such a way, that Missouri would become a 7-1 Republican to Democratic State.

Republican State Senator Lincoln Hough is one of the Republican Senators to vote no on the 7-1 map.

”There are obviously multiple interests in a map like this with a term-limited environment, in both chambers house in the Senate, and invariably, you’re going to end up with strong personalities that have strong opinions about where district lines should be drawn,” said State Senator Hough.

Republican State Senator Eric Burlison is one who wants the 7-1 map. He says some of his constituents want the same thing.

”They want us to fight for a stronger map, a 7-1 map that means seven Republican districts in the state, one Democratic district. The map that has that left the House and came over to the Senate is nowhere close to that map. (It) is actually, I would say, 5-3 if not, a weak 6-2,” said State Senator Burlison.

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