Missouri Senate committee advances 6-2 congressional map after contentious debate

Senators listened to hours of testimony, mostly from Republicans rallying for a 7-1 Republican majority redistricting map, rather than the proposed 6-2.
A map redrawing Missouri’s congressional districts passed another hurdle as a Senate committee voted Tuesday to send two versions to the Senate floor for consideration.

By a vote of 9-5 on each, the redistricting committee advanced the House bill passed last week, and a nearly identical Senate bill that also contains an emergency clause. That clause is needed for the maps to go into effect before the Aug. 2 primary. A previous attempt on the House side to add an emergency clause failed.

The maps themselves would likely keep Missouri’s current congressional makeup, sending six Republicans and two Democrats to Washington.

However, the committee debated and heard testimony on the bill for nearly three hours, with sharp exchanges between senators.