Capitol Calling

The Missouri House overrode Gov. Jay Nixon’s redistricting veto on Wednesday, a move that could put U.S. Reps. Russ Carnahan in a tough electoral position.

The map the legislature approved last week would place St. Louis City into one congressional district, a move that places Carnahan, D-St. Louis City, and U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis City, in the same district. The map also carves up Jefferson County into three congressional districts, creates a giant northern Missouri district for U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, and attaches three rural counties in central Missouri to U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City-centric district.

Nixon vetoed the map on Saturday, stating in a message that he was “hopeful that in the next two weeks the Legislature can produce a map that will reflect a better representation for all regions of the state.” But House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, indicated that the House would proceed with a veto override.

That scenario unfolded on Wednesday, when the House voted 109-44 to override the map. Every Republican voted for the override – including several GOP lawmakers who voted against the map last week. They were joined by four Democrats – Reps. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis City, Penny Hubbard, D-St. Louis City, Michael Brown, D-Kansas City and Rep. Jonas Hughes, D-Kansas City. The Senate – which will convene at 3 p.m. – still needs to override the map.

Getting a House override is critical, since Republicans are now four votes short of a veto-proof majority. Republicans have a 26-8 majority in the Senate, three more than needed for an override.

At least one Democrat indicated on the floor that an effort to override Nixon would not be taken kindly.

“There are some donkeys with very long memories,” said Rep. Scott Sifton, D-Afton.

My apologies for the lack of updates today, I’ve been busy juggling a number of different proverbial balls in the air.

But one thing I did want to point out was the Columbia Daily Tribune Rudi Keller’s blog post of House Speaker Steve Tilley’s comments about Cairo, Illinois. Keller was the reporter who asked Tilley whether he would rather see Missouri farmland or Cairo flooded. The answer sparked an Internet firestorm.

From the blog post:

With the video, Tilley became the target of every politician in Illinois and many of the town’s residents and defenders. At Cairo City Hall on Saturday, stacks of news releases from Illinois state lawmakers denouncing Tilley stood beside notices on evacuation plans to make sure visiting reporters knew about the controversy.

And townspeople were quick to offer their opinions as well. “I can’t believe a politician would make a statement like that. I can’t see it…it is pathetic,” Ronnie Garrett, a lifelong resident told me.

But one Illinois politician didn’t weigh in – President Barack Obama. He hasn’t said anything about Cairo or the flood that has already set a historic record there and seems poised to be the biggest on record along the Lower Mississippi. Obama has also been silent on the decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to blast open the levee in Missouri.

It’s an interesting read. Click here to see more of Keller’s post.

Missouri lawmakers toiled into the wee hours of the night, but were unable to come up with consensus regarding redistricting.

Since lawmakers won’t send a map to Gov. Jay Nixon by today, that means lawmakers won’t be able to override a potential veto until the fall. That could be significant, since it leaves a lot of time for individual members to be persuaded one way or another.

If Republicans can’t override Nixon, the map would likely be drawn by the courts. Here’s more from Associated Press reporter Chris Blank:

After private negotiations continued throughout the day and night Thursday, the Senate decided to adjourn until next Tuesday and House Redistricting Committee Chairman Rep. John Diehl said an immediate agreement was unlikely.

“I think we’re close, but obviously we’re far,” said Diehl, R-Town and Country.

House members were to be in session Friday, which is unusual, and Diehl said there were options for considering redistricting proposals then. The Legislature’s annual session ends May 13.

The inability of Republicans to agree on a redistricting plan was causing mounting frustrations among some lawmakers. Particularly frustrating, said Sen. Ron Richard, was the fact that many lawmakers were left in the dark about the progress of the negotiations and the apparent sticking points.

“I’m pretty upset,” said Richard, R-Joplin, a former House speaker who came to the Capitol dressed for work Friday but with nothing to vote on. “Now we just lost our ability to override the governor” during the legislative session.

There have been plenty of disagreements in the redistricting process between the two bodies. Among other things, the chambers seem to disagree on how to position St. Charles and Jefferson Counties.

Both maps place St. Louis City in one legislative district, which would place U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis City, and U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis City, in the same electoral arena. But Carnahan could run U.S. Rep. Todd Akin’s reconfigured district, which could more Democratic than usual.