Gov. Mike Braun says no loss of federal funding has materialized over redistricting fallout—at least so far

Gov. Mike Braun

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is ending his first year in office on a personal sour note, having failed to sway a majority of senators to redraw the state’s congressional maps mid-decade at the behest of President Donald Trump.

In the days prior to and after the Senate’s Dec. 11 vote against the measure, the governor and redistricting supporters warned about the possibility of Indiana losing out on federal funding due to the Legislature’s unwillingness to go along with the President’s wishes.

In a sit-down interview with the IBJ, Braun talked about that possibility, how he plans to work with lawmakers moving forward and other priorities ahead of the remainder of the legislative session. 

The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity. 

How do you go from last week’s vote in the Senate to working with the Legislature and passing policy priorities?

I think it’ll be easy on my end of it. The difficulty will be whatever ramifications come from it.

It’s very analogous to when I ran for governor, it was one where it was a contentious primary. How do you get through that? Well, we won with a record margin in the general [election]. So think about stuff that you could look to as a comparison, and you’ll get back together. 

I think here, the main consequence will be: What did they create by distinguishing themselves to where they split their own caucus down the middle? It was counter to the Republican congressional delegation, Senate [delegation], most state party leaders. They were out there on their own hill.

I think if the good ideas are there, I’m going to lead them as governor. You’ll even get senators that disagree with you on some issues that will be for you where it makes sense. It’s no different than how you had to navigate through six years in the U.S. Senate.

Have you spoken with Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray since the vote?

No. I mean, it hasn’t been that long ago. I think it’s all apparent they made a conscious effort, despite everything we talked about and uncertain of what those ramifications will be, but they can know that they totally constructed it. Everyone else was for a different outcome, including the House by a wide margin. And whenever you have to use Democrats in a super majority to get it across the finish line … That means Bray’s lost a lot there. Still, I’m going to work with them on any practical stuff. I know the House will be engaging. They’re enterprising.

Sometimes you need legislation, but we’ll have a lot of stuff to do just through the agencies taking Indiana to a better place.

You mentioned ramifications. Have you been told by federal officials that there are specific projects that won’t be funded as a result of the redistricting vote?

There’s been no conversation on it. But in tweets, I think [Vice President] JD [Vance] put something out. Don’t be surprised if some of that does happen. Again, that was a conscious decision and risk that Rod Bray and leadership took and the others that went along with it.

You’re saying there’s nothing concrete right now regarding federal funding losses, but you’re still of the mindset “don’t be surprised” if it happens?

I don’t think there needs to be anything concrete in the sense that there was a disappointment. Indiana was the only one that bucked what all other states did willingly and quickly. I mean, whatever happens there, that will be mostly a case of the relationship and the impact on the senators who decided to do it.

I wanted to ask specifically about the proposed USDA hub location in Indianapolis, have you heard if that is at risk?

There’s been no discussion of that, but I think you could see that could be. There’s been nothing particular [about the hub]. I think when it comes to other issues, I’m going to still have a good relationship with the administration. Again, we were sitting in the catbird seat there. They decided to risk it and we’ll have to see how that plays out.

On Friday, you named three people to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. Are there any legislative items that you hope to see in the upcoming session regarding energy policy and prices? 

It’s a regulated category and that is so important in terms of who’s on the IURC. The three people appointed to it have strategic talent, and they’re all ratepayer conscious.

When it comes to data centers … I think that’s going to be a classic case of most areas that have a lot of population don’t seem to be interested in having it. But there’s going to be several counties, many of whom have already come to me, saying “We’d love a data center.” Maybe the places that need it the most are low-population counties that are mostly rural, that are losing population. It would be a godsend for their own property tax relief and it would have enough really good-paying jobs, but it still wouldn’t stress their educational and health care facilities.

A growing number of counties in Indiana are now beginning to pass moratoriums on data centers. Should the state step in and take siting decisions out of local hands?

You’ll find on data centers it’ll be a little different than solar fields and windmills, because enough counties have already told me they want them. Because they’re long on acres and ground… and they know what a bonanza it would be in terms of lowering their own property taxes.

Is it still a goal of your administration to lead on data centers and artificial intelligence?

As long as it doesn’t impact current rate payers. That means you’ll have to do like NIPSCO did, where they segregate any data centers into a separate entity. But affordability is the word out there, and it just is amazing the Democrats could say that they claim it when they gave us a 25% gift of inflation over three years. 

You’re coming up on a year in office. Are there any reflections you want to carry into the rest of your term?

It’s amazing how much we’ve gotten done just reorganizing, restructuring state government. I’ve got eight entrepreneurial cabinet secretaries running the main eight policy silos. Permitting for all kinds of stuff is just being done better and for less cost. That is what you’re going to feel, mostly as a constituent or a Hoosier. Occasionally, there’s legislation that comes along that would have a significant impact. Property tax reform was that, even though it was like pulling teeth to get it. But generally, you’re going to interface with state government through the BMV, through the DCS, FSSA, DNR, and we’re running all that better than it’s ever been run.