Trump's redistricting push meets local GOP resistance in Indiana
Indiana Republicans are casting doubt on whether they will move forward with a plan to redraw its congressional district lines despite pressure from the White House.
Several GOP state lawmakers have come out against the effort, expressing concern about the precedent that it could set for the future and possible backlash against the party. With Republican supermajorities dominating both houses of the state legislature, stopping the effort would require a significant number of Republicans to oppose it and ignore the Trump administration's call for it.
But Indiana is already appearing to be a rare exception to most other GOP-led states much more enthusiastic about redistricting.
“I have tremendous respect for President Trump and love what he's doing,” said state Sen. Jim Lucas (R) who is one of a few on record against redistricting. “But for Hoosiers, Indiana Republicans, to abandon their principles and basically take away the rules, that sets such a dangerous precedent moving forward and for our children.”
“What kind of political structure are we leaving for our children in the future if we all of a sudden, just because we can, decide to redistrict mid-cycle?” he said.
Republicans appear to hold the advantage nationally in the redistricting battle. Though California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is moving forward with his own effort to rewrite his state’s lines, the GOP, for multiple structural and practical reasons, has more realistic opportunities to add seats ahead of 2026.
Texas Republicans seem likely to approve a new map shortly, while GOP leaders in Florida, Ohio and Missouri have shown a clear interest in trying to add seats to pad the party’s majority in 2026.
But Indiana has been a question mark, with several Republicans preemptively releasing statements against updating the state’s map. Republicans currently occupy seven of the........
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