Republicans advanced Missouri's redistricting plan targeting Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's district, while Democrats staged protests and threaten legal challenges.

The Missouri House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to pass the bill containing a new congressional map, first proposed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, over the objections of Democrats who say the map is racially discriminatory and an abuse of power. The state Senate is likely to hold hearings on the bill on Thursday and could pass it as soon as Friday.

Protesters against Republican-led initiatives to redistrict Missouri’s Congressional seats and to limit voters’ ability to change the state Constitution rally in the State Capitol rotunda on Wednesday,

Three Missouri House Democrats, including two from the St. Louis area, are staging a protest ahead of Republican efforts to pass a new congressional map.