In case you missed it, new reporting from the Kansas City Star shows that even Republican lawmakers in Johnson County are voicing concerns about Donald Trump and GOP leaders’ extreme push to redraw Kansas’ congressional maps mid-decade.

Despite this growing opposition from members of his own party, Senate President Ty Masterson has confirmed his plan to gerrymander the maps again, saying, “I don’t see why we wouldn’t take it up.”

“When Kansas Republican legislators gerrymandered our maps a few years ago, they promised to keep Johnson County whole as the ‘core’ of the Third District. Now, because Donald Trump told them to, they’re poised to break that promise — stripping power from Kansans and silencing their voices. Kansas voters, not politicians, should choose their representatives. Period,” said Representative Sharice Davids.

Local Republican legislators warned that carving up Johnson County mid-decade would be unpopular, legally questionable, and deeply divisive. Despite pressure from Donald Trump and state GOP leaders to force a new map designed to oust Davids, even Johnson County Republicans admit it would likely backfire.

Republicans representing Johnson County are voicing their own doubts:

• State Rep. Bill Sutton (R-Gardner): “I think it’s a questionable decision to redesign the districts anytime there’s a change in president. I think we have a process in place and we do it on the census every ten years, and I’m comfortable sticking with that procedure.”

• State Rep. Sean Tarwater (R-Stilwell): “I don’t think we have the votes for it (in the House) from what I can tell… I can see how a lot of people in Johnson County might get the wrong message.”

• State Sen. Mike Thompson (R-Shawnee): “I thought that we drew the maps pretty well last time, and so my concern is that trying to break up the county that way — especially a big county — it might end up maybe giving a court challenge a little bit better chance of succeeding.”

Recent reporting has highlighted, “the only way to ensure Sharice Davids loses, or any Democrat, is to break Johnson County up.” During the 2022 gerrymander, however, state leaders — including Masterson — promised to keep the county whole. Now, to gain an endorsement from Donald Trump, those same leaders are poised to go back on their word.

Read more from the Kansas City Star here.