Kansas Senate Approves Remapping Plan; House Prospects Unclear

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has approved a plan for redrawing its 40 districts, but revisions aimed at appeasing conservative Republicans may not be enough to get it through the House. The Senate passed the measure Tuesday on a vote of 21-19, sending it to the House. Senate Republicans have been bitterly divided over redistricting. Critics argued the Senate map was designed to keep the chamber's moderate GOP leaders in power. But those leaders backed successful amendments placing two conservatives in the districts of moderate Republicans they want to challenge in the party primary. Senate GOP leaders say the changes were part of a deal with House Speaker Mike O'Neal, a conservative Hutchinson Republican, to smooth the plan's path to House passage. O'Neal denies there was an agreement.