Politics
NEW: GOP-Controlled State Approves First Steps For Redistricting Effort
Kansas lawmakers met in the state capital of Topeka on Monday in order to approve legislative budgets ahead of the 2026 session. Among the budget considerations reviewed by the Legislative Coordinating Council was a $400,000 item from the State General Fund, along with $60,000 for licensing costs in order to cover an anticipated special session in order to consider a redraw of the Republican-controlled state’s congressional maps.
“We’re preparing for what might be,” Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson told WIBW. “If it’s not, if ultimately, we end up not using it, it just lapses back. We’re at this point preparing for what is likely to happen. I anticipate that to be more than sufficient for the days we’ll be here for special session.”
Masterson previously referred to the redistricting effort as a “serious endeavor” that will be given full consideration by the Republican-controlled legislature.
The plan under consideration would likely weaken or eliminate the lone Democrat-controlled district in the state, which is currently represented by Rep. Shanice Davids. In order to do so, a new map would likely split Johnson County — the state’s most populous and increasingly left-leaning — in order to dilute its voting power.
This would redistribute Democratic voters from the 3rd District into Republican-leaning areas, aiming for four safe GOP seats instead of the current 3-1 split. A final map has not yet been released, though Masterson Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins are circulating petitions to convene the four-day special session without Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat.
Governor Kelly has accused Republicans of advancing a “partisan agenda” and has vowed to veto any hypothetical redraw, though Republicans currently control a two-thirds supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature.
President Donald Trump has called on Republican-controlled states to redraw congressional maps in order to counter a “census error” that resulted in a number of Democrat-controlled states being over-counted. An official survey shows that census workers undercounted people in Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. The same survey shows workers overcounted people in Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Utah.
All of the over-counted states with the exception of two — Ohio and Utah — are currently controlled by Democrats.
“Mid-decade redistricting is a serious endeavor that began with the Democrats gerrymandering their way to a lot of seats they didn’t earn. I’m grateful to have friends and supporters outside the glass looking in, encouraging us and cheering us on,” Masterson said. “Only one time in our state history has the legislature petitioned to call itself in to special session successfully, and I led that movement. We have been looking at the issue for several weeks, and I am actively engaged in the battle for the heart and soul of America, helping the President to Make America Great Again. More to come.”
The Kansas move comes just weeks after Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed new congressional maps into law that will draw out five districts currently held by Democrats. Three of the districts have shifted to “safe Republican,” one to “likely Republican” and one “lean Republican,” under the new maps, according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index.
A similar proposal was recently passed in Republican-controlled Missouri as well, effectively drawing out one seat currently held by the Democratic Party.
In addition to the aforementioned states, Republicans in Ohio will soon vote on new maps that could draw out upwards of three Democrat-controlled seats. Ohio is required to redistricting every 10 years.
Florida, Indiana and South Carolina are among the other Republican-controlled states that are in the early process of mid-decade redistricting,
