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Gathered at the Missouri State Fair for the annual Governor’s Ham Breakfast, GOP officials said the state should wade into the high-profile national fight over redistricting to keep Republicans in control of the U.S. House after the 2026 mid-term elections.

“We need to move forward with redistricting. I am 100 percent in favor of it,� state Treasurer Vivek Malek said.

Missouri is among a handful of Republican-controlled states where President Donald Trump is asking leaders to deviate from the normal once-per-decade redistricting process to account for changes in population.

With Republicans holding a razor-thin margin in the U.S. House, the aim is to draw more GOP-leaning districts to ensure Republicans stay in power after the 2026 mid-term elections.

“I’m very supportive of what the governor and the General Assembly want to do. I encourage them to look at it,� added U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, a Salem Republican who chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. “I’m good either way as long as they treat my district well.�

The discussions in Missouri have centered on eliminating the Democratic-aligned 5th Congressional District in Kansas City held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver to give Republicans an opportunity to control seven of the state’s eight districts.

Supporters say the move would counter gerrymandering in Democratic states and keep House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana in control of the U.S. House, rather than allow Democrats to win and put U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York in charge of the chamber.

“Mike Johnson represents Missouri values much better than a liberal Democrat from New York,� said House Majority Leader Alex Riley, a Springfield Republican.

Kehoe, however, remained coy Thursday on whether and when he will ask state lawmakers to return. Next month’s annual veto session is the most likely time to launch the process, but the governor still is not saying whether that is the plan.

“You want to make sure what you’re doing is in the right direction and you have as many people on board as possible. I’m not saying we’re at that point or not at that point,� said Kehoe, who is in his first year as Missouri’s chief executive. “It’s a big decision. It’s not something I take lightly.�

He added, “My personal preference is to keep Speaker Johnson in control in D.C. I think that would be the goal.�

A special session could be a repeat of 2022, when lawmakers sparred over a conservative plan to lock in a 7-1 GOP-leaning map. That effort failed amid concern that the maneuver could backfire and dilute strong Republican districts with enough Democratic voters to change party representation.

House Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, said he believes Kehoe is waiting to see how redistricting efforts play out in other states before calling on Missouri lawmakers to take action.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is expected to call lawmakers to Sacramento to redraw his state’s lines in response to an ongoing bid by Republicans in Texas to hand Trump five more GOP seats.

“I think there are national factors in play. Probably within a month we’ll know more,� Patterson said.

Others said the governor merely is taking time to get all the pieces in place before making a special session official.

“There’s a lot of cats to herd when it comes to something like this,� said Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville.

Despite the calls for a special session, the effort by Trump to keep the House under GOP control faces some blowback.

“Why don’t we just do an 8-0 map?� joked Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. “I don’t think it’s a good precedent to set. I think we’re just opening it up to happen more in the future.�

Patterson said Kehoe may be treading carefully because redistricting could sow more dysfunction in the Missouri Senate where filibusters commonly are used by Democrats in the minority to slow down action and force negotiation.

“That’s always a consideration,� Patterson said.

State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, a Republican who formerly served as treasurer and as a member of the Missouri House, said it would be better if Missouri and other states only redistricted every 10 years.

“But we’re in a weird situation here, so I’m supportive of whatever Governor Kehoe decides,� Fitzpatrick said.

“It’s unfortunate we’re going to do a 7-1 map. We did it the right way in 2022. Unfortunately, other states didn’t do it right. If they are not going to play fair, I guess it’s just time we don’t either,â€� said Rep. Jim Murphy, a south ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ County Republican.

Murphy was among those who are not worried about Senate Democrats sabotaging next year’s legislative session as revenge for redistricting.

“In the end, Democrats have things they want too,� he said. “They want a budget that has things that are good for their constituents.�