93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
A Columbia state lawmaker who serves on the Missouri House Elections and Elected Officials Committee is critical of the new congressional map approved by the Legislature, which splits Columbia and Boone County into two districts.
State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) tells 939 the Eagle that it’s a terrible map.
“Why would you split Columbia down the middle down Broadway? Why would you split Stephens College down the middle, why would you split Boone Hospital down the middle? It’s asinine. It’s craziness, I’ve never seen anything like this,” Smith says.
The new congressional redistricting map is a solid 6-2 GOP map, but it also protects the districts of U.S. Reps. Cori Bush (D-St. Louis) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City).
Governor Mike Parson’s (R) office has started the review process of the proposed map, and the governor says they’ll be prepared to take action soon after the map hits his desk on Wednesday.
“I mean we’re a cohesive community. I mean we don’t agree about everything, but we should at least have one county that’s our own for a congressional district. It shouldn’t be split top to bottom like that,” says Smith.
The proposed new map also would move all of Cooper and Moniteau counties to the district of U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-St. Elizabeth). That would impact Boonville, Pilot Grove, California and Tipton.
