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Republican state Sen. Eric Bassler announced Thursday that he is opposed to redrawing Indiana’s congressional districts.
Bassler, R-Washington, is the seventh Senate Republican to publicly come out against the push initiated by President Donald Trump for redistricting in Indiana and other GOP-led states.
Thirteen Republican senators have come out in support, but half of the 40-member caucus haven’t made their stances known publicly.
“I cannot support any mid-census redistricting plan,” Bassler said in an emailed statement. “Four years ago, my Republican colleagues and I voted for our current state and federal legislative maps. I stand by that vote and I will not support legislation to change our congressional maps.”
Bassler announced in July that he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2026 and leave the Legislature after 12 years from his rural southwestern Indiana district.
Indiana lawmakers are scheduled to meet starting 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.
Senate Republican leadership has said they do not yet have enough votes to pass a redistricting bill. Any new maps would need a majority of 26 senators or 25 with Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith breaking a tie in support.
Enough House Republicans are believed to be supportive of a redistricting effort for it to win passage in that chamber.
Democratic legislators — who are too few in number to even delay a redistricting bill — have been unanimous in opposition.
Redistricting supporters want Indiana lawmakers to craft a map with all nine Indiana congressional districts favoring Republicans based on 2020 census data. The current split is 7-2 in favor of the GOP.
Undecided senators have become the target of advertising campaigns, including digital, cellphone, television and mail ads from pro-redistricting groups.
Bassler’s announcement follows ones earlier this week by Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, in opposition to drawing new maps and Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, endorsing redistricting.
The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.
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