Indiana lawmakers voted down a proposal to redraw their state’s congressional map that President Donald Trump urged to give Republicans an edge in the 2026 midterms. Many Indiana Republicans were unsure if the legislation would pass after many said they didn’t have the votes.
Trump threatened the state, saying he would deny federal funding if it voted down the legislation, according to conservative political advocacy organization
Heritage Action. The president likely couldn’t deny federal funds, since Congress controls where and how federal funds are spent.
What happened during the vote?
The vote happened during the anniversary of Indiana’s statehood. Senators on both sides spoke before the vote. All Democrats voted against the proposal, and so did several Republicans. Ultimately, lawmakers voted it down 31-19.
Republican state Sen. Greg Walker spoke out against the bill before the vote, saying he couldn’t support a bill that would require a judicial injunction to be constitutional. He emphasized that he did not believe the bill was constitutional.
Fellow Republican Sen. Greg Goode also said he wouldn’t vote for the map because his constituents spoke out against it. He said they are upset that one of the counties he represents would be split in Congress. Goode said if the bill does pass and is legally challenged, which it more than likely would be, it would cost the state money. Instead of focusing on political fighting, he said they should work on issues impacting constituents.
“We can’t keep getting caught up in all of this noise,” Goode said. “We have to redirect our focus on what really matters, I believe, to Hoosiers.”
Resistance from GOP leadership
Before Thursday, redistricting faced headwinds in solid red-state Indiana. Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray has opposed redrawing the map, creating uncertainty even with a 40-10 Republican majority in the state Senate.
Politico reported that the contrast with Texas, where similar Trump-supported efforts passed easily, has been significant.
In November,
Bray announced he would not convene lawmakers in December to vote on the measure. He said this wasn’t a decision made lightly and came after months of “thoughtful consideration.”
“Over the last several months, Senate Republicans have given very serious and thoughtful consideration to the concept of redrawing our state’s congressional maps,” Bray said in a statement. “Today, I’m announcing there are not enough votes to move that idea forward, and the Senate will not reconvene in December.”
