Should Kansas redistrict? ‘Questionable decision,’ Johnson County Republicans say
Johnson County Republican lawmakers have doubts about the wisdom of Kansas embarking on its own divisive effort to oust a Democrat from Congress.
It’s not that GOP politicians in Kansas’ wealthiest and most populous county are particularly fond of U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids. But carving up Johnson County to dilute its voting power mid-decade would likely be unpopular and legally tenuous, lawmakers told The Star.
“I thought that we drew the maps pretty well last time, and so my concern is that trying to break up the county that way — especially a big county — it might end up maybe giving a court challenge a little bit better chance of succeeding,” said state Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican.
Three years ago, Republicans won a narrow victory when the Kansas Supreme Court upheld a controversial new map that divided Wyandotte County for the first time in 40 years.
The court ruled 4-3 in the GOP’s favor, finding that the Kansas Constitution doesn’t prohibit partisan gerrymandering. But one of the justices in the majority has since retired and been replaced by an appointee of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
State Rep. Bill Sutton, a Gardner Republican, said despite spirited calls for a new congressional map from candidates seeking the GOP nomination for governor next year, he doesn’t expect Kansas to join the redistricting blitz.
“I think it’s a questionable decision to redesign the districts anytime there’s a change in president,” Sutton said. “I think we have a process in place and we do it on the census every ten years, and I’m comfortable sticking with that procedure.”
State Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican, said he’s personally supportive of redrawing district boundaries. But he’s doubtful a new map could withstand Kelly’s almost certain veto.
“I don’t think we have the votes for it (in the House) from what I can tell,” Tarwater said, acknowledging that redistricting would be deeply polarizing in Johnson County.
“My constituents, for the most part, are fairly conservative,” he added. “But I can see how a lot of people in Johnson County might get the wrong message.”
‘Stripping power from Kansans’
Davids, a former mixed martial arts fighter who was first elected to represent Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District in 2018, is bracing for another round in the bitter redistricting fight.
“When Kansas Republican legislators gerrymandered our maps a few years ago, they promised to keep Johnson County whole as the ‘core’ of the Third District,” Davids said in a statement to The Star. “Now, because Donald Trump told them to, they’re poised to break that promise — stripping power from Kansans and silencing their voices. Kansas voters, not politicians, should choose their representatives. Period.”
Rumors are swirling in Kansas political circles that Republican leaders are considering initiating a special session like the one that just concluded in Missouri and produced a new map that splinters Kansas City into three congressional districts.
Because Kelly opposes mid-decade redistricting and would not call a special session herself, no gerrymandering effort can take place before January unless two thirds of lawmakers in the House and Senate agree to convene.
Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said she believes Senate President Ty Masterson is calling lawmakers to shore up support for a special session.
“From my understanding, he has two thirds of the Senate. I’m not sure what’s going on on the House side,” Sykes said.
Masterson, an Andover Republican who is running for governor, previously told The Star he would consider redistricting “as a part of the bigger battle for the heart and soul of the country.” A spokesperson for his office said no official petition calling for the legislature to convene has been circulated among lawmakers. His office did not respond to additional questions about a potential special session.
Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican running to become state insurance commissioner, also did not respond to a request for comment on redistricting.
In 2022, when Republicans hoped a redrawn map could help unseat Davids, the Democrat increased her margin of victory to 12% in a rematch with her 2020 opponent, Amanda Adkins. Davids defeated Republican challenger Prasanth Reddy by more than 10% in 2024.
State Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, said dividing Johnson County in another attempt to oust Davids could easily backfire on Republicans.
“Redistricting is a delicate balance. It’s kind of like making a soufflé,” Clayton said. “You do one slight thing wrong and the whole, entire thing could collapse.”
Clayton said initiating a special session isn’t a decision that should be made lightly, particularly given how much it would cost.
According to estimates provided by the Kansas Legislative Research Department, for each day of a special session, lawmakers would have to be paid a combined nearly $37,000 and staff assisting with the session would net almost $34,000. KLRD reported the state would also have to spend at least $50,000 on mileage reimbursement.
“If my constituents want any kind of special session called at all, they want it to cover (high cost of living and property tax reform) — especially if we’re expending an exorbitant amount of money,” Clayton said.
“They’re not going to support us blowing taxpayer money on D.C. politics that have nothing to do with Kansas and nothing to do with governing.”
This story was originally published September 18, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
