Category: Indiana redistricting
Indiana Republicans vote with Democrats to block redistricting — despite Trump’s threat to unseat them
The state Senate in Indiana voted against a redistricting map that would have helped President Donald Trump’s plan to continue Republican control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The president has successfully persuaded Republican-controlled legislatures in other states to redistrict their maps ahead of the midterm elections, but the effort failed in Indiana after a vote on Thursday.
‘Living in a free constitutional republic means we empower voters to make those decisions.’
All 10 of the state Senate’s Democrats and 21 Republicans voted to reject the map which had been passed by the Indiana House of Representatives. Only 19 voted in favor of redistricting.
In a lengthy statement on Wednesday, the president lambasted the Indiana Republicans who had come out against the redistricting map and threatened to support primary opponents to unseat them.
“Anybody that votes against Redistricting, and the SUCCESS of the Republican Party in D.C., will be, I am sure, met with a MAGA Primary in the Spring,” the president wrote on social media. “If Republicans will not do what is necessary to save our Country, they will eventually lose everything to the Democrats.”
Vice President JD Vance also criticized those Republicans after the vote.
“Rod Bray, the Senate leader in Indiana, has consistently told us he wouldn’t fight redistricting while simultaneously whipping his members against it. That level of dishonesty cannot be rewarded, and the Indiana GOP needs to choose a side,” he wrote on social media.
One Republican who opposed redistricting said the voters should decide the midterm elections, not through redrawing district maps.
“I, like a supermajority of you, do not want to see another Democrat Speaker of the House,” said Republican state Sen. Spencer Deery. “But that isn’t for me to decide, and it isn’t for anyone in this body to decide either. Living in a free constitutional republic means we empower voters to make those decisions.”
Some Republicans have reported violent threats over the redistricting debate.
“Unfortunately, my house was the target of a pipe bomb threat on Saturday evening. This is a result of the D.C. political pundits for redistricting,” state Sen. Jean Leising said.
RELATED: Supreme Court allows Texas redistricting map for midterm elections despite liberal dissent
“I fear for this institution, I fear for the state of Indiana, and I fear for all states if we allow intimidation and threats to become the norm,” said Republican state Sen. Greg Walker, who also claimed to have received threats about his opposition to redistricting.
Now those Republicans will likely face the ire of the president in future re-election campaigns.
“I will do everything within my power to make sure that they will not hurt the Republican Party, and our Country, again,” the president said regarding the Republican dissenters.
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Redistricting bill passes Indiana House but will face opposition in Senate — from some Republicans
The Indiana House of Representatives passed a controversial bill that would redistrict the state and possibly flip two seats to the Republican column in the midterm elections.
Fifty-seven members voted for the bill, while 41 voted against it. The bill will go to the Indiana Senate, where some Republicans have said they oppose the redistricting effort.
‘Fair maps are essential to protecting Hoosiers’ voices in Washington, and today the House voted to do just that.’
Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Braun urged the Senate to pass the bill.
“Fair maps are essential to protecting Hoosiers’ voices in Washington, and today the House voted to do just that, delivering a strong congressional map,” Braun said. “I commend Speaker Huston and his caucus for having the courage to protect Hoosier voters. I urge the Senate to move quickly next week and adopt this map so Indiana can move forward with confidence.”
However, efforts to persuade state Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, a Republican, to support the bill have failed so far.
Another Republican said that she received a threat over her opposition to the redistricting bill.
“Unfortunately, my house was the target of a pipe bomb threat on Saturday evening. This is a result of the D.C. political pundits for redistricting,” state Sen. Jean Leising wrote on social media.
Trump has blasted those Republicans as “RINOs,” an epithet meaning “Republican in name only.”
RELATED: Supreme Court allows Texas redistricting map for midterm elections; liberals dissent
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita cited the Supreme Court’s temporary approval of the Texas redistricting map for the midterms to justify his support of the bill.
“This specific map is legally solid. If any group or individual is silly enough to sue, we will defeat their attack in court,” Rokita said. “As the United States Supreme Court emphasized once again last night, redistricting for political reasons is constitutional. In fact, the Court has said that redistricting belongs in the legislature — in the hands of the people’s elected representatives, not judges.”
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