Missouri Senate redistricting making sparks fly

Missouri politics are popping even more sharply than usual this spring with the imposition of yet another redistricting map that leaves Vernon County with an open state Senate seat.

Previous lines drawn by appellate judges moved 31st District Sen. David Pearce of Warrensburg to a different jurisdiction while shifting Bolivar Sen. Mike Parson's 28th District west to take in Nevada and Vernon County.

But when the Missouri Supreme Court tossed that configuration Jan. 17, saying St. Louis area districts should be "more compact," Gov. Jay Nixon's second Senate Apportionment Committee rescrambled the lines to leave Vernon in the 31st with Bates, Barton, Henry, St. Clair and Cass counties.

The committee's 15-day comment period is about to expire and with the month-long candidate filing period having started Tuesday, there is a lot of pressure to close the deal, officials say.

"March 9 is the final day for them to take testimony and after that they will vote one more time," said Pearce, R-Warrensburg, just having filed for re-election in the 21st District, where eight of the nine counties are new to him.

"They'll need seven of the 10 members to approve it. If they put me back in the 31st, I could withdraw and refile there. I have some colleagues who are upset, but we're never going to get a map that everyone likes. It looks like we're losing some Republican seats and our majority could be reduced from 26-8 to 20-14.

"The whole thing is bittersweet because I have really enjoyed representing Vernon County," Pearce said Thursday. "I will continue representing Vernon until the day someone else takes over."

Vernon County Republi-can Chairman Jerry Wadel of Richards reported Friday that former GOP state Rep. Ed Emery of Lamar in Barton County had filed to succeed Pearce. "Ed did a super job until he was termed out two years ago," Wadel said of the retired petroleum engineer.

"He is already familiar with the state's affairs and I think he is an excellent candidate."

Wadel was uncertain if candidates from the 31st District's south end will have trouble competing against those from Cass County, which has 100,000 residents in Harrisonville, Belton, Raymore and other cities. Senators in odd-numbered districts are up for re-election this year.

Wadel said Sens. Jane Cunningham of Chester-field, Brian Nieves of Wash-ington and Jim Lembke of Lemay are understandably irate that the new map -- the third proffered since last year -- "has made them almost unelectable.

"I hope something is done to help us keep our majority," he said.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court declined to change the 163-district House map, adding all but the north sliver of Bates County to the renumbered 126th District of term-limited Rep. Barney Fisher, R-Horton, who represents all of Vernon County.

Three Republicans have filed in Fisher's district, which had been the 125th: trucking company co-owner Barbara York of east Vernon County, Milo farmer Bill Yarberry and Bates County Northern Commissioner Randy Pike of Adrian.

Secretary of State Communications Director Ryan Hobart told the Herald-Tribune Thursday that the redistricting committee might extend the March 27 filing deadline. "Candidates can file now, but they may want to wait until the map is finalized so they don't have to come back, withdraw and refile," Hobart said.

House and Senate hopefuls must register with the Secretary of State in Jefferson City for the Aug. 7 party primaries and Nov. 6 general election, he noted. Filing fees are $50 for a two-year House term and $100 for a four-year Senate stint.

The apportionment committee chairman is Springfield Democrat Doug Harpool. Other Democratic members are Nicole Colbert-Botchway of St. Louis, W. Mitchell Elliott of Cameron and Todd Patterson and Trent Skaggs of Kansas City.

Republicans are Vice Chairman Marc Ellinger of Jefferson City, Secretary Nick Myers of Joplin, Jean Paul Bradshaw II of Kansas City, Steve Ehlman of St. Charles and Lowell Pearson of Columbia.

Harpool, Colbert-Botchway, Elliott, Patterson, Ellinger, Bradshaw and Pearson are attorneys. Skaggs is a businessman, Myers a CPA, and Ehlman a former senator who is now the St. Charles County executive.