Rep. John Diehl (left) talks with House Speaker Steven Tilley prior to override vote/House photo
State legislators have overridden Governor Nixon’s veto of the congressional redistricting map.
The Senate completed the legislative override, voting 28-to-6 to enact the bill containing the map over the objections of the governor. That vote came on the heels of a House vote that just met the two-thirds majority requirement; 109-to-44.
The House was the key. The Senate had earlier approved the map 27-7, more than enough votes to override a gubernatorial veto. Sen. Chuck Purgason, a Republican from Caulfield, voted against the bill earlier, but voted for the override. Sen. Bill Stouffer, a Republican from Napton, stuck with his opposition to the map and voted with five Senate Democrats against the override. No debate took place in the Senate prior to the vote.
House Speaker Steven Tilley, a Republican from Perryville, acknowledges he worried whether he had the votes needed when he brought the veto override before the body.
“Yeah, I mean, because we had 109. If one person flips on you, then you don’t quite get there,” Tilley tells the Missourinet, “but I’m thrilled with the result.”
Last week, the House voted 96-55 to approve the map contained in CCS/SS/HCS/HB 193. House leadership needed to convince all the Republicans who voted against the map to vote in favor of the override. That left the Republican majority four short.
House Redistricting Committee Chairman John Diehl (R-Town and Country) acknowledges he was a bit anxious when debate ended in the House and the electronic voting board lit up to record the representatives’ votes.
“Oh, there have been a few tense moments. When that board lit up, it was getting a little nerve-racking.” Diehl says. “We knew we were at 109, so we just had to see if everybody came through in the end.”
In the end, Democrats Jamilah Nasheed of St. Louis, Penny Hubbard of St. Louis, Michael Brown of Kansas City and Jonas Hughes of Kansas City joined all 105 Republicans to approve the override motion.
Governor Nixon’s office released a statement.
“As I have stated before, I do not believe this map reflects a fair representation of the interests for all regions of our state. Now that the map is finalized, we expect a robust electoral process in these significantly altered districts.”
A redistricting map has now survived a veto. We asked Senate Redistricting Committee Chairman Scott Rupp, a Republican from Wentzville, if it can survive a court challenge.
“Yeah, I think it’s a very good map,” Rupp says. “It represents one person, one vote. It’s contiguous. It’s compact. It takes into consideration the loss of a seat, plus the migration patterns. And overall it’s a very good map and I think that’s why you got support from both parties.”
Missouri loses a Congressional seat in the 2012 elections, because the state population according to the 2010 Census didn’t grow as much as other states.
AUDIO: Brent Martin reports [1:25 MP3]
Congressional map approved by General Assembly
