Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray on the House floor before this year’s State of the State Address. Photo by Nate Pappas for the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

By Tom Davies, Leslie Bonilla Muñiz and Casey Smith
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Senate Republicans announced Friday, Nov. 14 that they were rejecting Pres. Donald Trump’s push for congressional redistricting – a move immediately blasted by Gov. Mike Braun and Trump allies.

Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said in a statement Friday, Nov. 14 afternoon that the Senate won’t take up the issue, as was expected in an unusual December session.

Indiana lawmakers were scheduled to meet starting Monday, Dec. 1 to consider drawing more Republican-leaning U.S. House districts ahead of next year’s midterm elections – following a months-long pressure campaign by Trump’s administration and his supporters.

If the decision by Senate Republicans stands, Indiana would become the first GOP-led state to outright turn down Trump’s wish to squeeze out more Republican-friendly congressional seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Braun endorsed Trump’s push and called for legislators to convene Monday, Nov. 3 in a special session to redraw the congressional maps. Legislative leaders delayed that to Monday, Dec. 1.

This could be the first time in decades that legislators have not abided by a governor’s call for a special session. The state Constitution and code don’t explicitly require it.

The White House did not immediately comment Friday, Nov. 14 or respond to messages seeking reaction to Bray’s announcement, though Politico reported that Trump was summoning Indiana Republicans to D.C. for Oval Office visits.

Debate Focused On Senate Republicans

Redistricting supporters wanted Indiana lawmakers to craft a map with all nine Indiana congressional districts favoring Republicans based on 2020 census data.

The current congressional maps drawn by Republicans in 2021 maintained a 7-2 GOP majority – with Democrat Frank Mrvan holding the 1st District in northwest Indiana and Democrat Andre Carson holding the 7th District, which covers much of Indianapolis.

Gov. Mike Braun addresses reporters on Monday, Aug. 18, at the Indiana Statehouse. Photo by Niki Kelly, Indiana Capital Chronicle.

Without a December reconvening, lawmakers will also delay any updates to Indiana’s tax code past the Jan. 1 start of the 2025 filing season. Gov. Mike Braun’s special session order asked legislators to also bring the state’s tax code in line with recent, major federal changes – warning of “discrepancies” between Indiana and federal law that could complicate 2025 tax filings.

Indiana still conforms to federal tax law as of Jan. 1, 2023, and the Department of Revenue has warned that dozens of federal changes enacted via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act have “direct implications” for returns filed in 2026. Now, any updates would have to be addressed once the General Assembly convenes in January.

Undecided state senators had become the target of advertising campaigns, including digital, cellphone, television and mail ads from pro-redistricting groups.

Eight Republican senators among the 40-member caucus had come out publicly against redistricting, with 13 having announced their support, before Bray’s statement Friday, Nov. 14.

Trump ally Marty Obst – leader of the pro-redistricting group Fair Maps Indiana – said he expected political repercussions for Bray and others.

Of the 25 state Senate seats up for election in 2026, 22 are now held by Republicans, who now command a 40-10 Senate majority.

Bray has been the top Senate Republican – as selected by his GOP colleagues – since late 2018. He was reelected last year by voters to a Senate term that runs until November 2028.

Bray is accountable to more than constituents, though. There typically aren’t changes to the caucus’ leadership team between general elections, but the pro tem’s break with the governor and Trump administration could present an opportunity for his members.

Laura Merrifield Wilson, a political science professor at the University of Indianapolis noted tension among the different branches of government is not unprecedented, citing the Legislature’s rocky relationship with former Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Redistricting Foes Hail Decision

Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, celebrated the decision, saying in a statement that “Washington insiders pressured the Governor to rig Indiana’s congressional maps in the middle of a decade for one reason.”

The pro-redistricting campaigns came as a recent statewide poll of 800 registered voters found 51% did not support redistricting now – with 45% “strongly” opposed. About 39% supported the prospect, but just 23% “strongly” backed it.

The poll was sponsored by the group Indiana Conservation Voters, which started an anti-redistricting campaign soon after the possibility emerged in August with Vance’s first trip to Indianapolis pushing the issue.

Sen. Liz Brown tweeted this meme on Friday after the announcement the Senate won’t convene in December. Screenshot from X.

Megan Robertson, the group’s executive director, called the pro-redistricting campaigns the product of Washington consultants trying to stir up voter anger.

Freshman Rep. Andrew Ireland, of Indianapolis, is among several Republicans in the House who have been outspoken in support of potential redistricting.

State Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, was also one of the loudest supporters of redistricting and she took to social media to call Indiana a state of “cowards.”

Trump started the national redistricting fight by pushing Texas Republicans to redraw its congressional map this summer, followed by Republican redistricting moves in Missouri, Ohio and North Carolina. An attempt by Kansas Republicans for a special session on redistricting has stalled.

Democrats responded with their own redistricting in California and possible moves in Illinois and Virginia.

Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network.