JEFFERSON CITY, MO (AP) - Regional divisions are surfacing in reactions to proposed new congressional districts in Missouri.
The state is losing one of its nine seats in the U.S. House, and state lawmakers are drawing the new eight-district map.
One map considered Thursday by a House committee consolidates the two congressional districts in the city of St. Louis. The two Democratic incumbents - Lacy Clay and Russ Carnahan - said that was unfair and would weaken the area.
A central Missouri official objected to moving Cole County into a district stretching into the St. Louis area. And a lawmaker from rural western Missouri was unhappy about his area being added to the Kansas City-centered 5th Congressional District.
Republican House member John Diehl defended his proposal, calling it the best he's seen so far.
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Congressional redistricting is HB193
Legislature: http://www.moga.mo.gov
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Associated Press
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