Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Friday that the state legislature will draw new congressional electoral maps in a special session, officially bringing the state into the redistricting fray in the political battle over gerrymandering, with redistricting expected to influence control of the House of Representatives in the elections. 2026.

Kehoe was responding to President Donald Trump's call for states to help Republicans maintain their House majority.

Missouri's redistricting initiative could allow the state to add a Republican-majority district to its eight-member congressional delegation. The delegation is currently split between six Republicans and two Democrats. According to Politico.

According to a press release, Kehoe also announced the unveiling of his “Missouri First Map,” a version he calls “a more compact and contiguous proposed map” designed and created by his team for consideration by state Assembly members.

Kehoe said the map divides fewer counties and municipalities than the current one, preserves two congressional districts as drawn, and keeps all members of Missouri’s congressional delegation in their current districts.

“Today, I am urging the General Assembly to take action on congressional redistricting and initiative petition reform to ensure our districts and the Constitution prioritize Missouri values,” Kehoe said in the release.

“This is about clarity for voters and accountability for our future, and I hope the legislature will work together to pass our Missouri First Map and much-needed intellectual property reform,” the governor said.

Kehoe's announcement drew praise from Trump in a lengthy post on Truth Social on August 29. The president claimed that the governor's special session "will kick-start the passage of a new, much fairer and improved congressional map."

Trump had previously said Missouri would be the next state to redraw its electoral maps.

Missouri’s decision comes after California lawmakers approved Democratic-led redistricting maps for voters to decide in a special election.

And it continues the trend of gerrymandering started by Republican lawmakers in Texas, who were the first to redistrict to favor their party,