If there was a word to describe the past 12 months in Missouri and Illinois politics and government, deluge would probably top the list.
That's because 2025 brought about an almost unending string of major news events. It included leadership transitions in Missouri and the St. Louis area and immense conflict within the Missouri General Assembly.
And while Illinois' political leadership didn't change, the Democrats in charge of the state faced off with President Donald Trump and received an early glimpse of its political future.
Here are the top stories for Missouri and Illinois politics in 2025:
Missouri Republicans push through congressional map at behest of Trump
At the beginning of the year, the thought that Missouri Republicans would pursue a redrawing of the state's congressional lines would have been inconceivable – especially after a fractious 2022 session in which efforts to target Congressman Emanuel Cleaver's Kansas City-based 5th District floundered.
But after Trump pressured Texas to redraw its congressional lines, he turned to Missouri, and Gov. Mike Kehoe and other Republicans slammed through a new map that dividied Kansas City into three districts. It also made significant changes to several St. Louis-area districts that U.S. Reps. Wesley Bell, Ann Wagner and Bob Onder represent.
While Republicans didn't have much legislative trouble pushing through the new map, the lack of unanimous support among GOP lawmakers opened up the proposal to a referendum campaign that threatens to derail the new districts from being in place in time for the 2026 midterm elections. Redistricting also spawned numerous lawsuits that are working their way through courts.
And the ability of redistricting foes to gather more than 300,000 signatures in less than three months showed tangible resistance to a major GOP agenda item in a state that Trump helped transform into a Republican stronghold.
St. Louis tornado creates huge challenges for Missouri politicians
The aftermath of a devastating tornado that hit St. Louis and St. Louis County not only provided a major test for Mayor Cara Spencer shortly after she took office, it showcased the shortcomings of federal responses to disasters.
Spencer had to answer for why sirens didn't go off right before the storm and faced residents who felt that the recovery process was too slow. State officials had to scramble to approve money to help the city recover from the storm and get Trump to sign an emergency disaster declaration.
While Federal Emergency Management Agency aid did arrive, Democratic and Republican officials agreed that the relief was inadequate given the amount of damage. The response even prompted U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, to push for major changes to how FEMA operates, though whether that will make it through the legislative process is unclear.
In short, the tornado's effects will occupy local, state and federal policymakers' time for years to come.
Missouri Republicans take aim at voter-approved initiatives
Missouri Republicans used the final week of the 2025 legislative session to advance measures counteracting voter-approved paid sick leave and abortion rights protections.
And in a September special session, Republicans put a measure before voters that would make it much harder to enact some constitutional amendments.
All of those moves prompted a major public backlash, with some Missourians contending that these legislative maneuvers showcase disdain for popular opinion. A group called Respect MO Voters is currently gathering signatures for a proposal that could make it much more difficult for lawmakers to override successful statewide ballot items.
Spencer unseats Jones
After falling short in 2021, Spencer defeated St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones.
The race wasn't particularly close, either in the primary or general election. Riding on voter dissatisfaction over the state of city services, Spencer racked up big margins in largely white and integrated wards. And she also received fairly high percentages in majority Black wards.
Jones said her resounding loss showcased a nationwide and regionwide antipathy toward Black female political leadership.
Durbin announces his retirement
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin has been a staple in Illinois and national politics for decades, thanks to his lengthy stints in the U.S. House and Senate.
But the Democrat announced this year that he wouldn't seek another term in the Senate. That prompted a number of Democratic officeholders to jump into the March 2026 primary, including Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly.
The victor in the Democratic Senate primary is likely to prevail in next year's general election.
St. Louis sheriff faces unprecedented turmoil
After taking office at the beginning of the year, St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery was at the center of an almost endless string of controversy – including, but not limited to, spending money on new badges and golf carts, butting heads with the Board of Aldermen over spending priorities, and getting into a heated dispute over transporting prisoners for medical care.
The Missouri attorney general's office filed a case to oust him from office. A trial was held in December, and the judge's decision is expected any day.
An early 2025 confrontation in which Montgomery ordered St. Louis Deputy Jail Commissioner Tammy Ross handcuffed sparked a legal morass that also put his job in jeopardy. Montgomery is in an Illinois jail after violating aspects of his bail stemming from a federal misdemeanor charge related to that arrest.
Granite City Works goes through a roller coaster of a year
For decades, Granite City has been synonymous with steel thanks to its massive Granite City Works complex. But production slowed in recent years – Nippon's acquisition of U.S. Steel created uncertainty about the future of the facility. The acquisition was initially blocked by the federal government but later approved by the Trump administration after it won a say in the company's operations.
While Nippon committed to essentially keeping the status quo at Granite City Works, the company provided little commitment to upgrading the facility. That placed the long-term future of the complex in doubt.
Near the end of the year, Nippon announced that a shuttered blast furnace would restart in 2026. That provided some optimism for steelworkers, though the status of Granite City Works beyond mid-2027 is unclear.
Trump's demands collide with Missouri and Illinois
From a national perspective, Trump's return to the White House was by far the biggest political story. And his administration's priorities often directly affected Illinois and Missouri.
Trump's administration engaged in high-profile immigration raids throughout Chicago over the objections of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. And the tactics used to detain people throughout Chicagoland were highly criticized.
And while Republicans in Missouri were overall more favorable to Trump's policy agenda, there were a few disagreements. Gov. Mike Kehoe, for instance, expressed support for medical provider taxes that could be significantly curtailed due to the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill.
Former Illinois Speaker Michael Madigan heads to prison
For decades, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan exerted unprecedented power over state politics. But after finally relinquishing the speaker's gavel in 2021, Madigan was indicted and found guilty in a sprawling corruption scandal that sent him to a West Virginia prison.
Near the end of the year, Madigan asked Trump for a pardon. And that prompted some pushback from Illinois Republicans like Congressman Mike Bost, whose memorable tirade over Madigan's control of the House likely boosted his first congressional campaign in 2014.
Missouri retakes control of the St. Louis police department
Kehoe got his wish of reestablishing a gubernatorial board to oversee the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. That ended a lengthy period that began in the mid-2010s when the St. Louis mayor's office controlled the day-to-day operations of the law enforcement agency.
Republicans did not need to use a filibuster-breaking maneuver to pass the bill reestablishing state control of the St. Louis police department. Democrats won a key concession: providing the power of Democratic senators who represent St. Louis to effectively block nominees to the Board of Police Commissioners.
Other top stories of the year:
- Attorney General Andrew Bailey resigning to become co-deputy director of the FBI.
- St. Louis County Executive Sam Page being indicted and then deciding later in the year not to run for reelection.
- Pritzker announcing a bid for a third term amid speculation he plans to run for president.
- Large data center proposals stoking public opposition and a notable split among Missouri Republicans.
"St. Louis on the Air" brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Darrious Varner is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
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