INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is explicitly urging Republican state lawmakers to convene and take up redrawing the state’s congressional map, saying they “must show up for work” after a direct push from President Donald Trump and the White House.
The Hoosier State executive first announced the idea of a special legislative session at the end of October to redraw Indiana’s congressional districts following sustained pressure from Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
However, Republican leaders in the Indiana Senate said they did not have the votes to approve redrawing the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 elections.
Molly Swigart, spokesperson for Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, put it plainly: “The votes aren’t there for redistricting.”
The announcement — which preceded the Senate’s decision to reject Braun’s call to convene for mid-decade redistricting — came as the White House and national Republican operatives pressed the General Assembly to redraw its nine congressional districts in hopes of securing two additional GOP seats.
Before speaking with Braun, President Trump took to social media to criticize the governor for what he called a failure of leadership and labeled several state Senate leaders as “RINOs.”
Hours later, one of those lawmakers and their family were victims of a swatting attack — a dangerous hoax emergency call intended to trigger an armed law enforcement response at an unsuspecting person’s home.
The Hill has more on Braun’s call with Trump:
“I just had a great call with President Trump! I told him I remain committed to standing with him on the critical issue of passing fair maps in Indiana to ensure the MAGA agenda is successful in Congress,” Braun wrote in a statement on the social platform X.
The Indiana governor attacked the state Senate over the issue, amplifying pressure on the lawmakers to redraw congressional lines.
“Indiana’s State Legislators must show up for work and take a public vote for fair maps to counter the gerrymandering in California and Illinois,” Braun wrote.
“But the Indiana State Senate is hiding behind closed doors and refusing to even bring redistricting to a vote,” he continued. “Hoosiers deserve to know where their legislators stand and expect them to show up for work, not walk out and hide in the dark.”
Even if the legislature approves a new map, it may face legal challenges — mid-decade redistricting is controversial and could trigger lawsuits under the Voting Rights Act or state constitutional provisions on equal representation.
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