Governor Mike Kehoe Tuesday told reporters Tuesday he believes the fight over which congressional map Missouri would use in November was worth it, despite the 2025 map ultimately only being used in the primary election, not the general.
"We don't know what the outcomes are gonna be when you start down this journey," says Kehoe, adding "I think the legislature did a good job passing what was a more fair and balanced map for Missouri."
The 2025 Missouri First map was sidelined when the group People not Politicians gathered over 300,000 signatures for a referendum on the map and a legal battle that appeared before the US Supreme Court three times resulted in the 2022 map being put back into effect.
Although the 2025 map won't be reflected in November's congressional lines, it will be on the ballot as Amendment A, where Missouri voters can decide whether to make it permanent or cast it aside for good.
Kehoe says he believes the 2025 Map represents "Missouri's values," better than the 2022 map. However, after key priorities for Kehoe like abolishing the sales tax and reforming initiative petition were soundly defeated by 80-20 margins in August, what does it say about his finger on the pulse of what Missouri values if the voters reject the map again.
"We'll see what Missourians say about that," says Kehoe before setting the table to potentially blame dark money for a loss.
"Obviously there will be a lot of special interest that want to protect the current boundaries in the map that doesn't reflect Missouri's values as well. We'll see what that campaign looks like and what Missourians decide."
After the US Supreme Court slashed the voting rights act, Missouri lawmakers began floating the idea of redistricting again to carve up Wesley Bell's St. Louis congressional seat. After the Missouri Supreme Court ruled against the 2025 map, candidate for Senate Floor Leader Nick Schroer rehashed the idea lawmakers change the maps again. The fate of Amendment A aside, Kehoe struck a neutral position when asked if state lawmakers could redraw the map ahead of 2028.
"I think the legislature will determine what the next steps might be with redistricting. I'll work with them, I haven't seen any specific plans or ideas come forward."
Some republican lawmakers have called for reforming the Missouri Plan, which dictates how the state's judges are chosen, after the Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the 2025 map. Kehoe says those talks have gone back years.
"There are always people in the legislature who want to try to, I don't know if the right word is 'change it' but I would say 'improve it' or 'take a look at it.'"
He adds he believes the redrawn 2025 map represents "Missouri values."
He adds he believes the redrawn 2025 map represents "Missouri values."
