By JOHN HANNA

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ Republican House leader on Tuesday dropped efforts to force a redraw of U.S. House districts that would have thrust the state into a widening national battle for partisan advantage in the 2026 elections.

The announcement by Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins ends a weekslong push by GOP lawmakers to circumvent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and call themselves into a special session on redistricting, which would have convened later this week.

A session would have targeted ousting four-term U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the only Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation.

Kansas Republicans were trying to answer President Donald Trump’s call for states to redraw their maps to give the GOP at least seven more winnable seats ahead of the 2026 midte

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