Tilley disagrees with criticism of redrawn 8th District

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The speaker of the Missouri House says he doesn't understand state lawmakers' opposition to the newly redrawn Eighth Congressional District. Rep. Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, said Monday he disagreed with criticism suggesting that including part of Jefferson County in the Eighth District in a proposed congressional redistricting map significantly changes the make up of the district. Late last week, Rep. Jason Crowell sent out a news release saying the House version of the redistricting map would shift the political interest of the Eighth District to the metropolitan St. Louis area, which he argued differed from the rest of the district. "That's absolutely, no matter how you look at the facts, incorrect," Tilley said. "To take southern Jefferson [county] and all of a sudden claim it's some kind of city district is ridiculous." Tilley's district is inside the current Eighth District and would remain so under under all versions of redistricting maps proposed so far.