Kansas Republicans don’t have the votes to gerrymander the state’s congressional maps in 2026, GOP leadership said. Republicans say they aren’t even close.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said the issue is a priority for him. But he said Republicans are about 20 votes short of overriding a veto and approving maps that would redraw the Kansas City-area district currently represented by U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Roeland Park Democrat.

“If I don’t have the votes to pass something, I’m not going to put people on a vote just to have a vote,” Hawkins said. “That’s kind of where I’m at right now. I do not have the votes.”

Redistricting will come up in 2026 and Hawkins said the Senate should have the votes. Republicans have the votes to approve a bill, but Gov. Laura Kelly has vowed to veto the bill.

“This is the one and only time I can think of in my seven years that I’ve said I will veto this,” she said. “If this is not unconstitutional, it’s certainly unethical and should have no place in Kansas politics.”