GOP redistricting empowers Indianapolis over rural Indiana

[Muda69]

https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/2025/12/02/indiana-redistricting-will-disenfranchise-rural-voters/87557639007/

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A new congressional district map proposed by House Republicans would split Indianapolis into four congressional districts. The motivating factor behind the map is making it nearly impossible for Indiana Democrats to win a seat in Congress. That will come at a cost.

Several proposed districts stretch from a tiny, densely populated sliver of Indianapolis deep into rural Indiana. The new map will pave the way for Central Indiana dominance over the Indiana Republican Party and disenfranchise rural voters.

For years, Central Indiana dominated the Indiana Republican Party. Former Govs. Mitch Daniels and Eric Holcomb were products of that faction.

It wasn’t until the 2022 Indiana Republican Party Convention that rural populists gained the upper hand, capitalizing on anger over how Holcomb handled the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns. At one point, he was booed during a convention-related event.

Several state officials were ousted and replaced by Republicans more aligned with rural populism and President Donald Trump. That process continued in 2024 and culminated with the election of Micah Beckwith, a pastor from Hamilton County, as Gov. Mike Braun’s running mate and eventual lieutenant governor despite Braun's preference for another candidate.

 

Notably, one of the first bills filed this session would take power away from convention delegates to nominate candidates for lieutenant governor. There is already an active lawsuit against Indiana GOP leadership, accusing it of essentially disenfranchising populist convention delegates.

With that in mind, it’s clear why even rural folks who always vote straight party might distrust Indiana Republican Party leadership. It’s probably one reason why there is meager support for redistricting, even among the Republican base. 

New map gives all the power to Indianapolis

State Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, a leader in agricultural policy, is probably the clearest embodiment of that rural character of institutional distrust.

She correctly noted that support for redistricting is largely being drummed up by groups outside Indiana. Their money is flowing through Indianapolis political consultants, and it shows.

By splitting the overwhelming wealth and population density of Indianapolis into four congressional districts, the new map may all but guarantee Indianapolis Republican dominance in Indiana’s congressional delegation.

 

Many new districts are split into several different media markets, for example. The Indianapolis media market alone may cover eight of the nine districts. With limited campaign cash and the highest population density lying in that market, it is clear who most of that will go toward.

That’s an incredible amount of power to hand over to the group many Republican state officials hate even more than the Indiana Democratic Party.

It also creates a strong incentive for both Republicans and Democrats to run candidates in all four congressional districts from Indianapolis. That’s where most of the talent, money and political capital lies.

Already, most districts that touch Central Indiana elect a candidate from about as central a location as possible. U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve ran for Indianapolis mayor in 2023, Rep. Victoria Spartz lives in Noblesville, Rep. Jim Baird lives near Greencastle and Rep. Andre Carson, of course, lives in the city.

With that in mind, it’s clear the proposed map stands to at least double the political influence of Indianapolis. It’s great for an urban columnist like me, because it means elected officials in two more congressional districts have a reason to listen to what I have to say.

Overall, though, it’s a bad deal for residents of rural Indiana, who will become further away from the people that represent them.

A spot-on analysis.  Do we really want Indianapolis to carry such political clout across the entire state,  like Chicago does in Illinois?

 

[Bobref]

11 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

Do we really want Indianapolis to carry such political clout across the entire state,  like Chicago does in Illinois?

You mean it doesn’t already?

[Muda69]

4 minutes ago, Bobref said:

You mean it doesn’t already?

It does up to a point, and the GOP wants to give it even more.  And as the opinion piece states, this is mostly due to influence form outside of Indiana;  aka Trump.  And most GOP politicians are too cowardly to tell him to go pound sand. 

Do you support mid-cycle congressional re-districting in this particular case, Bobref?

 

 

[Bobref]

6 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

It does up to a point, and the GOP wants to give it even more.  And as the opinion piece states, this is mostly due to influence form outside of Indiana;  aka Trump.  And most GOP politicians are too cowardly to tell him to go pound sand. 

Do you support mid-cycle congressional re-districting in this particular case, Bobref?

Of course not. Redistricting (gerrymandering) is being pushed by Trump to add Republicans to Congress to keep him from getting impeached … again. That’s the only purpose it serves.

[Muda69]

Democrats speak out:  https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/01/redistricting-shows-gop-out-of-touch-with-hoosiers/

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Together, the people writing this represent six decades of Democratic political service in Indiana. We have served our state and country in a number of different roles — as members of Congress, U.S. Senator, governor, ambassador, state party chair, and co-chair of the 9/11 Commission.

 

We have always worked to advocate for American ideals and values, sometimes in partnership with Republicans when it made sense for Indiana, and sometimes in competition with Republicans when we disagreed on a policy issue or an approach.

Targeting Congressmen André Carson and Frank Mrvan to gerrymander their districts before a mid-term election is dangerous, wrong and beyond the common sense Hoosiers traditionally show. These members, duly elected to represent their districts, work hard each day to listen to the needs of their constituents, solve problems and deliver for the families, workers, students, and seniors in their communities. They won their elections fair and square – and in the case of Congressman Mrvan – against well-funded opponents financed by the national donors.

Everywhere you go in this state, Hoosiers will tell you their biggest concern is the soaring cost of groceries, utility bills and healthcare. Indiana governors have the ability to call the General Assembly in for special legislative sessions for emergencies. The fact that the legislature is coming in early to redistrict instead of addressing real problems like Indiana’s affordability crisis, shows just how out of touch the GOP supermajority is with everyday Hoosiers.

Even former two-term Republican Governor Mitch Daniels has denounced this idea. Republicans should take heed of his statement that districts should make geographic sense, particularly if they attempt to split Marion County, which is represented by the dean of Indiana’s congressional delegation, Congressman Carson.

Competition is good for democracy, and it’s good for our country and state. It starts with healthy debates and leads to more balanced outcomes for all people. Hoosiers deserve a congressional map where every district is competitive and voters choose their representatives, not the other way around.

But the political insiders in D.C don’t want competition. They want to predetermine the results of the next election before the first vote is even cast.

We have all won elections. We have all lost elections. We have always accepted the outcome because we knew that at the end of the campaign it was the choices of Hoosiers that bestowed political power on us – not the parties that granted it before the votes were even counted. Hoosiers deserve a better government, and that starts with a politics that is fair and not rigged by people outside this great state.

We urge our fellow Hoosiers of all political viewpoints to recognize this blatant power grab to rig the 2026 midterm elections. Indiana’s legislature should not waste Hoosier taxpayer dollars on a purely political activity. Hoosiers need to make their voices heard now.

If they have not already I urge all Hoosiers to contact their state representative and let them know of your opinion regarding this.  I have. 

 

[Muda69]

https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/2025/12/02/indy-redistricting-greg-ballard-map/87568271007/?tbref=hp

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This week, Hoosiers got their first look at the proposed congressional districts drawn by Washington insiders to suit their political needs.

This mid-decade map would split the 7th District into four districts instead of having Indianapolis largely unified under one. It is a shortsighted mistake that undermines our voice, weakens our community and threatens the main economic engine of our state.

I am a Republican. I served in the Marine Corps for 23 years, and I had the honor of serving as mayor of this great city for eight more. Rep. Andre Carson, who currently occupies the 7th District seat, is not a member of my political party, which is why D.C. insiders want to split things up.

That is not a good reason.

I have always believed in doing what is best for the people of Indianapolis, not what is politically convenient for those in power. No matter who is calling the shots in Washington or at the Statehouse, this harried, ill-conceived map is bad public policy.

For decades, Indianapolis has had one member of Congress representing almost the entire city. That means when an issue affects Indy — whether it is infrastructure, public safety, housing, transit or federal funding — there is a single, clear line of accountability. Hoosiers know who to call.

That all changes under this new map. Instead of one strong voice, we would be left with four diluted ones. Four members of Congress representing huge swaths of the state along with small slices of Marion County, each with competing priorities and different constituencies. 

That dilution will hurt our city and our state. Central Indiana, with Indianapolis at its core, is the primary economic engine of Indiana. Growth and opportunity remain abundant, proudly helping every corner of the state. 

We should be working to strengthen Indy’s competitive voice, but this new map would have different representation for major employers like Eli Lilly, Roche, Corteva, Cummins and Salesforce. One member would have Butler University in their district; another would have Indiana University and Purdue University’s downtown campuses. Fort Benjamin Harrison and Stout Field, just 20 miles apart on the map, would be split up.

Statehouse leaders understandably focus a lot of attention on Indianapolis because of its unique, outsized impact on the entire state. For those same reasons, any congressional map should strengthen the city’s core — not fracture it.

Moreover, Indianapolis does not look the same or face the same challenges as every other part of Indiana. Urban areas have different needs than rural farms, riverside towns and fast-growing suburbs. Each of those communities, including ours, deserves strong representation that understands them.

Good maps respect city and county boundaries. Good maps keep communities intact wherever possible. The maps that were drawn and cheered by Republicans in 2021 accomplished that goal. Those maps went through months of review. Hoosiers attended hearings. Communities raised concerns. Mapmakers listened, debated and revised accordingly.

Compare and contrast that process to what has happened over the past few months. Since early August, state lawmakers have endured enormous political pressure and withering rhetorical attacks from Washington insiders hell-bent on forcing us to do their bidding. In recent weeks, those rhetorical attacks have escalated into bomb threats and swatting calls threatening elected officials and their families. 

That is not who we are. This late-breaking map does not reflect the quality of our democracy nor the character of our state.

I am proud of this city and the people who call it home. When tough decisions needed to be made during my time as mayor, I always asked one question: What’s the right thing to do? This map fails that test, and lawmakers should toss it out.

Spot-on commentary from Mr. Ballard. 

 

[Muda69]

House panel advances Indiana map drawn ‘purely for political performance’ of GOP: https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/02/indiana-maps-drawn-purely-for-political-performance-of-gop-bill-author-says/

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The author of Indiana’s new congressional redistricting bill acknowledged the maps are “politically gerrymandered” during committee questioning Tuesday but defended the proposal against accusations of illegal racial gerrymandering.

The maps, released Monday morning, were drawn “purely for political performance” of Republicans, Rep. Ben Smaltz told indignant Democratic colleagues on the House Elections and Apportionment Committee.

It was the House’s only public hearing on the maps — and was held with less than a day’s notice.

Over about three hours, 43 Hoosiers spoke against the proposal and two in favor, excluding several state lawmaker witnesses. The meeting featured ominous testimony from Marion County’s Democratic elections chief and Republican former Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann.

The committee voted 8-5 to advance Smaltz’s House Bill 1032 to the floor, with one Republican joining Democrats in opposition.

Legal arguments

The current districts, drawn by the GOP in 2021, are 7-2 in favor of Republicans.

The House and Senate GOP worked with the National Republican Redistricting Trust to engineer a likely 9-0 sweep of the districts — as sought by President Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 midterms.

“They’re politically gerrymandered, if you’d like to say that,” said Smaltz, R-Auburn.

He was adamant that no racial information was used in crafting the bill.

The targeted districts now held by Democratic Reps. André Carson and Frank Mrvan are by far Indiana’s most racially diverse. The maps split Carson’s district, which largely overlaps Marion County borders, four ways, and halves Mrvan’s.

“You’re okay with … racially gerrymandered maps if you get your desired outcome for … politically gerrymandered maps?” asked Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis.

“We didn’t look at that, at any of that,” Smaltz replied.

Rep. Matt Pierce, an attorney, said Smaltz’s emphasis on partisanship is legal strategy.

“You’re not used to hearing (that) around here, because even when people are being partisan, they don’t like to admit it,” Pierce said. But, he noted, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled political gerrymandering is up to state lawmakers and beyond the judiciary, as opposed to racial gerrymandering.

‘Chaos’ incoming, clerk says

Local election officials typically have a year before an election to make redistricting-related adjustments, Marion County Clerk Kate Sweeney Bell told the committee.

If approved next week as planned, clerks would have just four months before early voting starts April 7, ahead of the May 5 primary elections.

She detailed the complex updates required to reassign the likely hundreds of thousands of impacted Indianapolis voters, retrain thousands of poll workers, update public communications and more — all on a smaller budget amid cuts to local revenue.

“If any of this is done incorrectly, voters are going to feel the impact when they come to vote,” the clerk said.

She urged lawmakers to reject the proposal, adding, “If it passes, there will be chaos. Chaos in clerk’s offices around the state. Chaos when candidates file at the election board. … That’s exactly what election administrators want to avoid.”

The bill includes more than maps.

It expressly legalizes mid-census redistricting, and allows precincts to be split between congressional districts for just the 2026 election cycle.

It would also restrict state-level lawsuits by banning temporary restraining orders against the maps. Injunction-related appeals would go directly to the Indiana Supreme Court.

Opponents have vowed to challenge the approved version, although they’re still assembling their legal strategies.

Wide range of Hoosiers testify

Ellspermann, the retired Ivy Tech Community College president, was among the dozens who spoke in opposition to the proposal. The Republican previously served as lieutenant governor under former Gov. Mike Pence, and as a House lawmaker.

“We have fair maps. The ones we have performed — some might say over-performed — for the Republican majority,” she said. “The plea to redraw Indiana’s map is coming out of Washington, D.C. Some may argue that they have the right to ask, and in that case, we certainly have the right to answer, ‘No.’”

She reminded lawmakers — including former colleagues amid 2011 redistricting — that they pledged to “serve all Hoosiers, not just those who voted for us or the current president” in their oath of office.

Hoosiers “have a reputation for standing up to political pressure,” Ellspermann added, lauding Pence for his refusal to overturn the 2020 election.

Several who testified denounced GOP legislators for bowing to Trump’s demands and accused them of “cheating” in order to win elections.

“Dividing natural constituencies is immoral and wrong,” Indianapolis resident Jane Alexander said. “Disenfranchising populations or communities of interest in Indiana is wrong. Just because other states take certain steps doesn’t mean we should.”

Numerous Hoosiers accused Republicans of taking representation away from Democrats in Indiana since the state is not only red. In the 2024 presidential election, Trump took nearly 59% of the votes cast, or 1.7 million, while Democratic nominee Kamala Harris took almost 40%, or 1.1 million.

Just two witnesses spoke in favor of the maps: Allen County Council member Paul Lagemann, who is a lobbyist with D.C.-based Heritage Action, and Marion County resident Nathan Roberts.

Lagemann pushed legislators to advance the maps, saying they “reflect the will of Hoosiers and ensure that Hoosier voices are not diluted in Congress.”

California, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and Utah have already heeded — or countered — President Donald Trump’s call for more GOP U.S. House seats.

Split concerns

Smaltz said the proposed new map divides fewer counties than the current: seven instead of eight. But Marion County, the state’s largest, would be splintered four ways.

Pryor, the Indianapolis Democrat, said residents’ representation would suffer.

She noted that 7th District Rep. Carson is the only Black federal officeholder in Indiana.

He represents the state’s most racially diverse congressional district, with the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures showing its population as 49% white, 33% Black and 12% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The district is entirely within Marion County and includes almost 80% of the population of Indianapolis.

Carson’s office is also a one-stop shop for Indianapolis and its residents.

“My congressman has been there to focus on bringing back money, (which) we send to Washington, back to Marion County,” Pryor said. She feared the four representatives overseeing their respective chunks of Indianapolis — alongside huge, largely rural swaths of the state — would be less responsive to the city’s residents.

“I’m not sure that that’s an advantage or disadvantage,” Smaltz said, to have “four voices in Congress versus essentially one.”

Of the districts given a slice of Indianapolis, the 4th would run east and north, bordering Chicago-area counties. The 6th appears more compact, while the 7th would hook into central Indiana before stretching south along Ohio and Kentucky. The 9th would be concentrated in southern Indiana with a thin finger into Marion County.

The four districts would all be about 11% Black and 4% or less Hispanic, according to an analysis of the proposed maps by the nonprofit group PlanScore.

Smaltz said the redraw would also split fewer townships: nine instead of 13. Three of them appear in Marion County.

Up by Lake Michigan, Mrvan’s current district would be cleaved in half.

His 1st District has a population makeup of 63% white, 17% Black and 17% Hispanic. The proposed new 1st District would have a population that is 16% Black and 12% Hispanic, according to PlanScore.

Committee Republicans defeated several Democratic amendments along party lines before voting to advance the bill.

Rep. Tim Yocum, R-Clinton, was the sole GOP lawmaker to vote in opposition.

He declined to comment, telling reporters, “My vote is my answer.”

The bill heads to the House floor for second reading, when any representative can offer an amendment. That is scheduled for Thursday.

“This isn’t the process any of us would prefer or the timeline we would choose, but it’s the process before us,” Smaltz said.

...

Cowardly Republicans kowtowing to Trump, a lame duck president.  Shameful.

 

[Bobref]

11 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

House panel advances Indiana map drawn ‘purely for political performance’ of GOP: https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/02/indiana-maps-drawn-purely-for-political-performance-of-gop-bill-author-says/

Cowardly Republicans kowtowing to Trump, a lame duck president.  Shameful.

 

Gerrymandering is a time honored political dirty trick. What gets me is that, in the past, the people drawing the maps at least articulated a half-ass justification for what they are doing. These people just come right out and say we’re doing this to keep the Republicans in power. No pretense. Just naked political advantage. Shameful is too mild a term.

[Muda69]

Too many Indiana Republicans failed the courage test on redistricting: https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/2025/12/08/indiana-house-redistricting-cowardice/87623398007/

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I have been reluctant to write about the redistricting debate in Indiana. After all, there is no original sin to gerrymandering and the economic effects are generally well into the future. But this Indiana General Assembly session offers a rich environment in which to judge the people involved.

Originally, redistricting was supposed to have captured a few House seats for Republicans in Texas, but it spread to other states, including California, Virginia and Illinois. It has run into legal hurdles in Texas, but if all these states pass new maps, the 2027 Congress could see a net effect of a House seat or two.

At the national level, MAGA pressure on Indiana legislators has been intense. This has included direct calls from the president and House Speaker Mike Johnson, threats of well-funded primary candidates and efforts to intimidate or threaten state Senate members.

That pressure has been accompanied by a series of amateurish attempts to sway opinion. My favorite came from Turning Point USA appealing to “Indianans” to redistrict our congressional seats. Apparently, there are no Hoosiers in Turning Point USA.

What’s funny about all the kerfuffle is that the U.S. House of Representatives is going to wildly swing toward the Democrats in the next election. With President Donald Trump’s favorability ratings hovering in the high 30s, the only question is how many seats Democrats will gain.

The ineptness of the national MAGA coalition isn’t limited to its ham-handed marketing. It also helped create a proposed Indiana map that is bizarre in its scope and effects.

This new map places Muncie and Elkhart in the same district, but the closest route between the two would cross three other congressional districts. Gary and Wabash are weirdly placed together, while northern Marion County, Randolph County and southern Jefferson County are in the same district. Thus, a member of Congress would need to drive from 38th Street in Indianapolis to Richmond, then south to south Jefferson County to traverse that district.

 

As IndyStar’s Jacob Stewart noted, this map seems custom-made to devalue rural voters. This is undoubtedly true in two ways.

First, the new map deconstructs Indianapolis, placing the largest county into four new congressional districts. This amplifies the voice of urban voters by placing the same city into multiple jurisdictions. At the same time, the vast geography of the gerrymander increases the cost of visiting smaller population centers.

The immediate effect may be modest, but over two or three election cycles, this could mark a big shift in the urban-rural dynamics of political campaigns. It seems likely no one involved in constructing these maps really cares. It is almost as if the national GOP is unconcerned about the state or local effects of their policy.

A failure of courage

This raises questions about Hoosier policymakers' motivations.

I am certain there are GOP members who honestly support redistricting on the merits and required no pressure from the national MAGAsphere, no calls or threats from the president’s men. This has mostly focused on the national policy outcomes they wish to preserve. This is politics, after all, and they have to defend their position before voters, who can judge their integrity and good faith, along with the effect of their policies.

But one aspect does puzzle me.

When the House voted Friday, a dozen Republicans joined all Democrats in voting no. That's more than many expected given the White House's intense pressure campaign. Yet 57 House Republicans still voted yes. By contrast, at least 14 of 40 GOP senators publicly oppose redistricting. How could there be such different perspectives among Republicans on the same issue?

One likely explanation: All representatives are up for reelection in 2026, while many senators aren't on the ballot until 2028.

Many state representatives clearly have been cowed into supporting redistricting. There may also be a few senators who’ve been pressured or threatened into supporting the effort.

That speaks very poorly for the men and women who are too afraid to vote their principles. At best, it makes our legislature beholden to forces outside the state who care not at all for our representation in Congress. At worst, it amplifies the risk of political threats and violence against other legislators.

C.S. Lewis tells us that “courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” Too many Hoosier (or should I say, Indianan) legislators failed that test Dec. 5.

There is no window into the souls of these legislators, but it seems reasonable that voters demand that they detail their positions on redistricting.

Republicans could lose at their own game

The opposition to redistricting by GOP legislators has been both principled and pragmatic. The principled argument is mostly what I’d call “small-c” conservatism that Hoosiers tend to value. We just aren’t people who like changing rules at halftime or submitting to bullying. That is easy to respect.

 

The pragmatic argument is also smart and easy to respect. In Virginia, New Jersey and Tennessee, post-Trump elections have swung by double digits toward Democrats, at least two of whom were poor candidates. This means any jiggering of congressional districts must result in lower expected GOP vote margins in most districts.

The midterms are going to be brutal for Republicans. The 2028 elections could be very harsh as well. Proponents of redistricting are trumpeting a 9-0 map if it passes the courts. But the cold hard arithmetic of midterms with a deeply unpopular president makes it possible that they are really crafting a 5-4 map.

 

At least my duly elected state representative was no coward,  he voted No.  

 

[Muda69]

Why the Indiana Senate will likely reject early redistricting: https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/jacob-stewart/2025/12/10/indiana-senate-reject-redistricting/87691810007/

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Indiana Senate Republicans almost refused to meet to redraw the state’s congressional district map in an attempt to hide from public criticism. Fortunately, the attempt backfired and the Senate is giving the idea a fair hearing.

It has given senators a chance to go on the record to help the public understand their decision-making, even if many are still staying silent. It has also made it abundantly clear the lobbyists pushing redistricting don't understand Indiana legislators at all.

I worked in the senate as a press secretary before joining IndyStar. Here's what I learned and why the push for redistricting will likely fail when senators take a final vote on Thursday.

Senators hate negative campaigning

"Washington, D.C.-funded organizations in favor of redistricting are using extremely negative texts, videos and phone calls to try to win support for their cause,” State Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, said in a statement. “These groups do not have the best interest of my rural area or the state of Indiana at heart, and their methods are completely unacceptable.”

After this statement, a redistricting lobbyist made a misleading post suggesting Leising had no clue how mass text campaigns worked. Others piled on and suggested she was old and stupid.

It seems too unbelievable to them that she cares more about what her district has to say than about Turning Point USA, a group that referred to Hoosiers as “Indianans” in a now-deleted post on X.

The Senate is the prouder chamber of the Indiana General Assembly. Senators tend to hate being treated like non-equals by lobbyists, the unofficial fourth branch of government. The only thing they hate even more is being treated like non-equals by the governor. 

Many senators are still sensitive from former Gov. Eric Holcomb’s heavy-handedness during the COVID-19 pandemic and his aggressive economic development lobbying. He, at least, was wise enough not to make a big scene about it. Gov. Mike Braun, on the other hand, has very publicly tried to coerce legislators into supporting redistricting, despite not having the political clout to back it up.

It’s a repeat of the fight over property tax cuts earlier this year, said Rob Kendall, a conservative radio host, who led the grassroots charge on that issue.

“Where we screwed up with property taxes is we had tens of thousands of people behind us, but not enough targeted in each district. We couldn’t overcome the power of the local city officials or school districts,” Kendall told me. “The redistricting people are making the same mistake. Except a lot of their most vocal supporters don’t even live in the state.”

Senators gave Braun's campaign priority a fair shot and ended up creating a somewhat reasonable bill. In exchange, the governor ran a series of now-deleted negative ads against them. He went on to pat representatives on the back for a monstrous amended bill that saved homeowners less, gave a larger proportion of cuts to big businesses and dropped support for first-time homeowners. 

Senators know they can't rely on Trump

Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray and State Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Goshen, have both made it clear they’re worried about the quality of candidates who would run in new congressional districts. 

That fear is legitimate. One candidate running for the 1st District recently resigned from Braun’s administration after being accused of ethics violations. 

Trump will only be in office for two more election cycles — and presumably will not be on the ballot again. That means terrible candidates can no longer benefit from his overperformance.

To be fair, most new districts would likely lean solidly Republican. However, as recently as 2018, one proposed district preferred a Democrat for U.S. senator.

Senators are wary of Indianapolis' influence

There’s a chance redistricting could lead to a spike in voter turnout in Indianapolis, since there may be four Indianapolis Democrats and Republicans running for Congress and actively campaigning there. 

“I mean, I just think that if those maps pass, there’s a good possibility that three or four millionaires from Indianapolis will represent a third of the state, so I don’t know that that serves us well,” State Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. 

He’s exactly right. I’ve already written about how the new maps would empower Indianapolis over rural Indiana in the GOP. Many Indiana Republicans fear returning to a time where the interests of Indianapolis dominated their party, or where Indianapolis Republicans like Holcomb were running the show.

It's unsurprising that an outsider drew the proposed map that would do just that.

When Republican Jefferson Shreve ran for Indianapolis mayor, he said he would not enforce abortion laws and supported an assault-style weapons ban to appeal to more left-wing voters. When he ran for Congress, representing mostly rural Indiana, he immediately reversed course on all of that. 

The new maps would probably favor Shreve's mayoral campaign strategy. Indianapolis is wealthier, more densely populated, has a strong media market and a seemingly endless political talent pool with close proximity to several universities, making it a more ideal location to campaign and appeal to. The proposed new congressional maps could indeed lead to three or four millionaires from Indianapolis running the show.

In the end, senators will likely vote against redistricting for those reasons. Lobbyists will fund primary challenges against them. The Trump administration may retaliate against the state. Hopefully they stop and think through some of the reasons why their push for mid-cycle redistricting failed. 

I sure hope Mr. Stewart is right. 

 

[Muda69]

Redistricting is cheating. So is the two-party system.

https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/readers/2025/12/10/indiana-redistricting-cheating-republican-democrat-libertarian/87582718007/?tbref=hp

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After decades of Republicans and Democrats colluding to use their status in state government to create and maintain a duopoly in Indiana politics, Democrats are now finding Republicans are in a position to place insurmountable statutory impediments on those who wish to run for a congressional seat as a Democrat.

While the Libertarian Party, Constitution Party, Forward Party and other political organizations have fought to bring awareness to the need to reform our state and federal political process, Democrats have enjoyed benefiting as part of the duopoly.

It is time for average, everyday Hoosiers to stand up and say enough is enough. No more political corruption and electoral manipulation by Republicans or Democrats. They both need to be held accountable for the abuse of the citizens and the system of government.

They are two sides to the same tarnished coin that now has no value whatsoever to the average citizen.

Mr. Rainwater is right. The two-party system is a corrupt system.

 

[Irishman]

31-19 against

 

 

[Bobref]

33 minutes ago, Irishman said:

31-19 against

 

 

Looks like somebody grew a pair. Braun = Dead Man Walking

[Irishman]

12 minutes ago, Bobref said:

Looks like somebody grew a pair. Braun = Dead Man Walking

I will enjoy watching lil Micah's career end more. 

[Muda69]

13 hours ago, Bobref said:

Looks like somebody grew a pair. Braun = Dead Man Walking

Indeed he is:  https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/james-briggs/2025/12/12/braun-redistricting-trump-senators/87727524007/

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Gov. Mike Braun is a masochist. That's all I can figure based on Braun's appetite to keep inflicting pain upon himself over mid-decade redistricting.

Braun carried President Donald Trump's torch to redraw Indiana's congressional map and asked the Indiana General Assembly to pass it for him. The Senate told him no. Braun begged the Senate to show up and defeat him in person. The Senate obliged.

Now, Braun wants to keep this fight going for reasons I can't fathom other than he likes how losing makes him feel.

"Ultimately, decisions like this carry political consequences," Braun said on social media. "I will be working with the President to challenge these people who do not represent the best interests of Hoosiers."

Braun will be doing what to who? He's going to take on half of the Senate Republican caucus, which just dressed him down while the nation watched?

Does Braun even take himself seriously at this point?

Twenty-one Republicans joined all Democrats in a 31-19 rejection of early redistricting, just as Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray had warned all along. Braun wouldn't listen.

“Hopefully we won’t have to drag them through this more than what we’ve done so far,” Braun told reporters Dec. 5. “But it’s not over if they don’t do it.”

Rally, threaten, lose, repeat

Braun is in no position to call shots. He's the protagonist only to the extent that he's in a Greek tragedy and doesn't know it. The once-successful businessman will spend the rest of his career serving the president who made him senator, then governor, and has left him with nothing but titles and humiliation.

Braun twice this year has headlined Statehouse rallies to advocate for legislative priorities only to lose both times, first on property taxes and now on redistricting. He won't stop until he's the Washington Generals of governors, the lovable loser who nonetheless puts on a show.

Even as critical as I have been of Braun, I had to wonder in recent months whether he knew something I didn't. He repeatedly staked his credibility on signing a new congressional map into law. Who threatens to "compel" lawmakers to vote on redistricting if he's not sure he can win?

Braun does. That's who.

No plan, no power, no respect

The vote was so lopsided that it's painfully clear Braun had no plan beyond following Trump off a cliff and hoping for an invisible ledge. Braun has no judgment to choose the right battles, no relational skills to win people to his side and no clue when to shut up.

In the absence of all other virtues, any reasonable, self-respecting person in Braun's position would have recognized the Dec. 11 Senate vote as a time to shut up. Braun doubled down on defiance.

Braun can keep talking. No one needs to listen to him anymore. The redistricting failure has exposed Braun's promises, rally speeches and threats as empty words from an irrelevant governor.

The Senate's 31-19 vote sent many messages. One was that Republican senators don't respect Braun, and they certainly don't fear him. Twenty-one Republican senators just challenged Braun to go ahead and try to take them out. What's he going to do about it?

Braun just showed you what he's going to do. He's going to talk tough, flex big and take the L. Then he'll ask for another round.

It must suck to be a lame-duck governor only about year into your administration.