Photo: Chad Garrison
Russ Carnahan just had the rug pulled out from under him.
The new map effectively eliminates Democrat Russ Carnahan's 3rd Congressional District, which currently extends from south St. Louis through Jefferson County and into Ste. Genevieve County.
Under the new proposal, the Third District would move west, ringing St. Louis County and extending as far west as Jefferson City.
Diehl told reporters that St. Louis' declining population did not merit the city having two congressmen in Carnahan and William Lacy Clay, whose 1st District would encompass the entire city under the new proposal.
"The city of the St. Louis lost the most population over the past decade, so it's almost impossible to justify that the city in and of itself maintains two congressmen," said Diehl.
Under Diehl's proposal, Missouri would likely lose one Democratic congressman, for a total of two: Lacy Clay in St. Louis and Emanuel Cleaver in Kansas City. All six current Republican reps would likely maintain their seats.
Carnahan's office has yet to make an official statement on the proposed changes. Meanwhile, conservative websites, such as RedState.com, are rejoicing over how Carnahan's district was "chopped up like a chicken for the stewpot."
See proposed map here.
