FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 8, 2025
Contact: press@runforsomething.net
Run for Something Alumni Fight Back Against Missouri GOP’s Gerrymandering
MISSOURI – Over the weekend, Run for Something alumni took bold action as Missouri Republicans attempted to convene a special session to push through redrawn legislative maps at the behest of Donald Trump. The power grab would strip Democrats of a House seat and hand it to Republicans on a silver platter.
As extremist lawmakers continue to erode democratic norms, Run for Something is proud to support the young progressive leaders who are pushing back on the GOP’s dangerous power grabs.
“Reps. Ray Reed, Keri Ingle, and Ashley Aune represent the future of American democracy,” said Amanda Litman, President and co-founder of Run for Something. “They’re showing up on the House floor not just for Missouri, but for every voter who believes their voice should count. This is exactly why we need bold progressive leaders in state legislatures nationwide in red, blue, and purple states alike who are unafraid to fight when it counts most.”
Three Democratic state representatives launched a protest by refusing to leave the floor of the Missouri House. Among them was Missouri State Rep. Ray Reed (D-HD-83), a 2024 Run For Something-endorsed candidate. Reed was also one of several lawmakers who signed a letter to Speaker Jon Patterson, calling on him to meet with them directly on the House floor to justify the undemocratic process.
“80 HOURS on the Missouri House floor. Today, we were joined by Capitol visitors, our Democratic colleagues, and even kids who came to the building to see history in the making. And the encouragement hasn’t just come from here in Missouri; it’s been pouring in from across the country. Republicans may have walked out. But the people keep walking in,” Reed tweeted.
Missouri State Representative Keri Ingle (D-HD-35), a 2020 Run for Something alum and a longtime advocate for transparent government, joined the push back and delivered one of the most memorable rebukes, pointing out how the GOP’s rush to redraw maps signals panic about their prospects in 2026.
“The thing with pendulums is that they swing back. This is an egregious overreach of power. It’s shameless. And I know that a lot of you will feel shame and will text me later about it. And I’m not going to give you absolution,” Ingle said.
House Democratic Minority Leader Ashley Aune (D-HD-14), another 2020 Run for Something alum, also joined the conversation by pressing Republican State House Rep. Dirk Deaton—the sponsor of the so-called “Missouri First” redistricting plan—with tough questions about the fairness of the proposed maps.
“Do you think it makes sense that Sam Graves represents Kansas City and Hannibal, Missouri, gentleman?” Aune asked during the floor debate, highlighting the absurd geographic sprawl of the GOP’s proposed districts.
The redistricting effort is the latest in a series of anti-democratic maneuvers by Republicans who have sought to consolidate power at the expense of fair representation. Over the summer, we saw Texas State Representatives James Talarico, John Bucy III, Lauren Ashley Simmons, Venton Jones, Mihaela Plesa, Erin Zwiener, Jessica González, and Cassandra Hernandez—all of whom are RFS alumni—leave their state to block a quorum in the legislature and halt the approval of an anti-democratic redistricting map.
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Run for Something (RFS) recruits and supports young progressive candidates for down-ballot offices. Since its founding, RFS has helped elect nearly 1,500 candidates across the country, including 18 candidates in red-to-blue seats in the 2024 election cycle. Today, RFS has the largest database of any other Democratic organization, with over 67,000 people reaching out since November with interest in running for office.