No gerrymandering in Kansas + How Missouri could punish the Chiefs for leaving
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas GOP redistricting effort stalls as Speaker Hawkins concedes he lacks votes.
- Missouri lawmakers propose fines and business penalties targeting Chiefs over exit.
- Royals lose STAR bond window, Mayor and Speaker signal project faces local hurdles.
Hello, Star readers.
Today we’re taking a look at how top Kansas Republicans’ push to gerrymander U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids out of office seemingly fell apart before a single vote was taken.
Next, we’ll get into:
• Flag on the Chiefs: A trio of Missouri bills would exact financial penalties on the Chiefs over their decision to leave the state: “We need to reevaluate doing business with them.”
• ‘Time’s up’: Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins said the Kansas City Royals have missed their opportunity to lock in a STAR bond deal and join the Chiefs in Kansas. Here’s why.
This week in politics
The months-long plan to redraw Kansas’ congressional map is on life support.
GOP leaders have been enthusiastic about their mission to maximize the Republican Party’s chances of picking up the only Democrat-held congressional seat in the state.
But Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, conceded Monday that he doesn’t have the votes in his chamber to overcome Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a new map.
“To say that redistricting wasn’t high on my priority list would be wrong because I truly believe that it was the right thing to do,” Hawkins told reporters.
“If I don’t have the votes to pass something, I’m not going to put people on a vote just to have a vote,” Hawkins said, estimating that as many as 20 GOP House lawmakers might vote against redistricting.
In a statement to The Star, Davids said she remains vigilant against efforts to oust her from the district she has held since 2019.
“I hope all lawmakers in Topeka are listening,” Davids said. “But let’s not kid ourselves — backed by Washington extremists, state politicians made clear even today that rigging our elections remains a ‘top priority,’ because they know their extreme policies can’t win on a level playing field.”
More from this past week
• Could local opposition still derail the Chiefs’ stadium project in Wyandotte County? KCK Mayor Christal Watson says the development isn’t a done deal yet.
• Jackson County has extended a grace period to give residents more time to pay their property taxes. Here’s when tax bills are officially due now.
• Kansas City is set for a historic 2026 at the ballot box, and The Star’s new Democracy Insider is ready to help you make sense of it all. You’ve probably heard of him.
Looking for more
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That’s all for now! See you next week.