Lawmaker offers another redistricting map

A Missouri House Democrat has proposed an alternative to a congressional redistricting map offered by a Republican leader.

The new plan by Ron Casey, of Jefferson County, would consolidate the two St. Louis city districts into one - as also suggested by Republican John Diehl, head of the House redistricting committee.

But Casey would keep Jefferson County within a single district. Diehl would divide it among three.

Diehl wants to divide up Mid-Missouri. Casey would place it all in a new district stretching from Cass County on the Kansas border to Audrain County in the northeast. Two GOP congressional incumbents - Vicki Hartzler and Blaine Luetkemeyer - both live within those boundaries.

Combining St. Louis into one congressional district would pit incumbent Democrats William "Lacy" Clay and Russ Carnahan against each other in any re-election bids.

Casey, who serves on the redistricting panel, offered his plan Friday.

Missouri is losing one of its nine U.S. House seats, requiring a new congressional map.

Diel said the release of Casey's map on Friday reflects the redistricting committee's open and transparent approach.

"This has been a fair and open process from the start and we will maintain that approach as the process moves forward," said Diehl. "Our goal is ensure a transparent process as we work to create a map that ensures adequate and fair representation for each and every Missourian. It is my intention to give Representative Casey the opportunity to make the case to the committee that his map is a better alternative to the one presented to the committee earlier in the week."

The House Special Standing Committee on Redistricting met Wednesday and Thursday to discuss Diehl's proposed map that will divide Missouri into eight congressional districts.

The Senate's Redistricting Committee will release its own map during a 1 p.m. hearing Monday.