# Emanuel Cleaver U.S. Representative for Missouri's 5th Congressional District (Kansas City area) since January 2005 — currently in his 11th term. Previously the first Black mayor of Kansas City (1991–1999) and a senior pastor in the United [[Methodist Church]], where he remains an ordained minister. Chaired the Congressional Black Caucus 2011–2013. ## 2025 mid-decade redistricting target On 2025-08-29, Missouri Governor [[Mike Kehoe]] called a special session to redraw Missouri's congressional map. The new map, signed by Kehoe on **2025-09-28**, **dismantled MO-5** as a safe Democratic seat by stretching it from urban Kansas City east into rural Osage County and splitting Jackson County across three districts. Inside Kansas City, the dividing line between MO-4 and MO-5 was set at **Troost Avenue** — the historic dividing line of segregation in the city, an exceptionally provocative cartographic choice that became central to the racial-gerrymandering challenge. A Missouri trial court ruled on **2026-03-27** that the map could be used for 2026; ACLU and voter plaintiffs are pursuing federal challenges. A citizen-led ballot initiative to suspend the map gathered enough signatures to qualify for the 2026 ballot, conditional on certification. As of April 2026, Cleaver's reelection in the redrawn MO-5 is the central question of the Missouri congressional cycle. See [[Redistricting Timeline 2025-2026]]. ## Long career Cleaver has been a fixture of the post-civil-rights Black political establishment in Missouri for over four decades. His district is the only Democratic-held congressional seat in Missouri (alongside Cori Bush's former MO-1, now Wesley Bell). Prior to the 2025 redraw, Cleaver consistently won his district by 30+ points. ## Related - [[Mike Kehoe]] — Missouri governor who signed the redistricting bill targeting Cleaver - [[Redistricting Timeline 2025-2026]] — Missouri-specific entries