Politics

Republicans Break With Trump to Block Indiana Redistricting Plan

By Jake Beardslee · December 21, 2025

Republican lawmakers in Indiana have rejected a congressional redistricting plan backed by President Donald Trump, delivering a setback to efforts aimed at strengthening the party’s narrow U.S. House majority ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

In a December vote, the Republican-controlled Indiana Senate defeated the Trump-supported map by a margin of 31–19. Twenty-one Republican senators joined all ten Democrats in opposing the proposal, which had already passed the state House and would have added two right-leaning congressional districts.

The failed plan cannot easily be revived during the 2026 legislative session, effectively halting a rare mid-decade redistricting effort in the state.

Trump and allied conservative groups aggressively lobbied lawmakers in the days leading up to the vote. Allies involved in the push included Vice President JD Vance, as well as organizations such as Club for Growth Action and Turning Point Action, which ran advertisements targeting Republican holdouts.

Before the vote, Trump urged state senators to approve the map without changes, writing, “The Indiana Senate must now pass this Map, AS IS, and get it to Governor Mike Braun’s desk, ASAP, to deliver a gigantic Victory for Republicans in the ‘Hoosier State,’ and across the Country.”

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun supported the proposal, but critics argued the effort was part of a broader national strategy to reshape congressional districts in Republican-controlled states ahead of the 2026 elections.

Before the vote failed, Turning Point Action spokesman Andrew Kolvet emphasized the group’s involvement, saying, “This is a super high priority, and we’re going to be working with the local grassroots to make sure their voices are heard, and their priorities are not steamrolled by an out-of-touch elected class.”