Kansas’ 3rd congressional district would lose a part of Douglas County but gain a piece of Leavenworth County in a redistricting plan approved by the Senate in a close vote on Wednesday.

The plan also moves Manhattan from the 2nd district into the 1st district, which covers most of western Kansas.

The 3rd district, which includes Johnson and Wyandotte counties, extends west to Tonganoxie in the new map.

The plan, part of the legislature's redistricting process that occurs every 10 years, must now be approved in the House, where it could face more opposition.

The main point of contention during the debate was whether Manhattan should stay in the 2nd district.

Some Manhattan officials, as well as U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, are opposed to the plan to move the city into the expansive 1st district. Sen. Roger Reitz from Manhattan argued that keeping Manhattan under Jenkins, who is a member of the main tax-writing committee in the U.S. Congress, was best for Kansas’ economy.

Two other proposed plans failed, including one called Great State that would split Topeka between districts and push the 3rd district's boundary south into Miami County.

Sen. Tim Owens of Overland Park, chairman of the reapportionment committee that initially approved the successful plan, criticized the Great State plan because it would split Louisburg and put some of Topeka, including the capitol building with the rural 1st district.

Owens said that avoiding splitting cities was one of his top priorities during the redistricting process.

That plan was defeated by a vote of 17 to 22 before senators ultimately approved the initial plan 23 to 17.

“I would hope that our congressional delegation, regardless of whether they live in the same district that we’re talking about or not," Owens said, "Would be advocating for Kansas – all four of them working together regardless of where their district happens to be.”