Indiana Gov. Mike Braun remains optimistic that lawmakers will end up changing the state’s congressional maps to favor Republicans before the 2026 midterms.
This comes after Senate President pro tempore Rod Bray, R-Martinsville, announced on Friday that the Senate did not have the votes to support mid-decade redistricting. Sen. Bray also said on Tuesday’s Organization Day that the Senate would be adjourned until early next year and not meet during the first week of December as originally planned.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Gov. Braun said there’s still time to push for “fair maps.”
“Unfortunately, Sen. Rod Bray was forced to partner with DEMOCRATS to block an effort by the growing number of America First Senators who wanted to have a vote on passing fair maps,” said Gov. Braun. “Now I am left with no choice other than to explore all options at my disposal to compel the State Senate to show up and vote.
According to the governor, he knew of at least 21 senators who had publicly or privately stated that they were in favor of redrawing the state’s maps. At least thirteen Senate Republicans have come out in support of redistricting with eight publicly against it. It’s unclear where the other 19 senators of the 40-member caucus stand on the issue.
The governor joined WIBC’s “The Hammer and Nigel Show” later on Tuesday, saying Sen. Bray is going against the wishes of President Trump and Republicans across the country and in Indiana
“You’ve got our entire Republican delegation that’s for it, our state officers, I mean, you’re going against everyone,” Gov. Braun said. “I would be more concerned about what you’re doing when the President of the United States calls you out for something that he’s made very clear that he wants to get done.”
For months, President Trump and Vice President Vance have been pressuring Indiana Republicans to redraw the state’s map. President Trump put out a statement on Truth Social earlier this week, saying he was disappointed in Gov. Braun and “RINO Senators Rod Bray and Greg Goode” for not moving forward with redistricting and possibly picking up two more Republican seats.
“The Democrats have done redistricting for years, often illegally, and all other appropriate Republican States have done it,” Trump wrote. “Because of these two politically correct type ‘gentlemen,’ and a few others, they could be depriving Republicans of a Majority in the House, A VERY BIG DEAL!”
Gov. Braun responded to the president’s post on Tuesday.
“The president has talked to him twice, the vice president has come in twice, and he’s trying to justify that there’s not a need to do something because he’s not in the mood to do it,” Braun said about Sen. Bray.
While the Senate decided it wouldn’t begin its work till Jan. 5, House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, said they would meet next month and create new maps that they will likely pass and then send to the Senate for consideration.
“The Speaker of the House, who said they have the votes, just formalized it by them coming back in December, to give us the maps and that happening was a game changer,” said Braun.
Gov. Braun also said he’s not shying away from backing people in the midterms who support this effort and will run against Republican senators who don’t.
“I will support President Trump’s efforts to recruit, endorse, and finance primary challengers for Indiana’s senators who refuse to support fair maps,” he said.
3 comments
IF our congressional map was reversed, 2 republican districts and the rest dimocrat, the dims would NOT HESITATE to muck with the districts to squeeze out the 2 R districts. They have done it in many other states including much of New England and the west coast and Illinois.
But weak kneed republican pretenders including the senators representing Elkhart County are turning purple.
It’s so pitiful that Braun wull do anything to ingratiate himself to a overwhelmingly unpopular failed president. But I suppose a sycophant needs someone to play worship.
So who cares what the Indiana citizens want!