JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Debate over Missouri’s next congressional map stretched into its third day on Wednesday, and hard-line GOP Sen. Bob Onder wondered whether GOP leaders were planning to cut off debate and force a vote.
“I’m not sure anything’s off the table,” Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, told the Lake Saint Louis Republican.
The exchange, soon after the Senate convened at noon on Wednesday, showed disagreement between Republicans persisted overnight and suggested a breakthrough on new congressional boundaries was not imminent.
With hard-liners refusing to back a “6-2” congressional map proposed by GOP leaders, Democrats could be enlisted help cut off debate and send the map to Gov. Mike Parson for his signature.
The House approved a so-called 6-2 map — that likely sends six Republicans and two Democrats to Washington — last month with only GOP support. The Senate could vote to send that plan directly to Parson.
The hard-line Republicans have pushed to eliminate one of the Democratic seats by gerrymandering the Kansas City-based 5th District to favor Republicans.
They have also pushed to place St. Charles County entirely within one congressional district, without success.
Onder on Wednesday asked Rowden whether he would use a parliamentary maneuver to cut off debate on fellow Republicans.
The parliamentary procedure — known as moving the previous question — is often used in the House to force a vote on legislation, but it is less common in the Senate, where it is known as a “nuclear option.”
Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, expressed frustration with the hard-liners, slamming several “quorum calls” they have made during the redistricting debate, forcing senators from their offices to the Senate floor.
He said the quorum calls repeatedly interrupted work on compromise maps.
“It’s complete and total ridiculous nonsense,” Schatz said.
Onder, who made many of the quorum calls, brushed aside those concerns and said the Senate rules allow quorum calls.
“Is the previous question not in the rule book?” Schatz asked Onder.
Onder said Democrats also shared concerns about the map. Sen. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, has pushed for an amendment that would place Webster Groves-area precincts in the 2nd District rather than the majority-minority 1st District.
Democrats have said they deserve three House seats, not two, based on President Joe Biden earning 41% of the state's vote in the last presidential election.
But Kansas City Democrats, likely satisfied that Republican leadership hasn’t carved up the safe Democratic 5th District in Kansas City, could opt to support the 6-2 map.
Senators were not officially discussing the House map at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
Onder had tied the Senate in procedural knots in an attempt to block leaders from taking the plan up for debate.
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