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Indiana’s entire House GOP congressional delegation pledged support Monday for President Donald Trump’s plan to craft new federal district maps in an attempt to pick up one to two additional Republican seats in 2026.
Meanwhile, Indiana House Republicans that would actually have to draw new boundaries met privately on the north side of Indianapolis — and it’s still unclear where the caucus may land on the politically-charged proposal.
House Speaker Todd Huston told the Indiana Capital Chronicle after the roughly two-hour meeting that “we had a good conversation” but did not give details about where the caucus stands, overall.
“We’re still talking, and we’ll work on all this together,” Huston said.
He said there was no timeline for the caucus to make any decisions and declined to comment on whether a special session seemed likely or not.
Other state lawmakers were mum — with several declining to speak to the Indiana Capital Chronicle following the meeting — but members of Indiana’s GOP congressional delegation all jumped on board within hours.
“Democrats have proven they will use every tool available to them to gain and keep power. For years, Republicans have idly stood by while the Left has weaponized government against us,” U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman wrote Monday on X. “It’s time for us to drop the gloves. At this moment, our state has the opportunity to give conservative Hoosiers the representation in DC they deserve. I stand with President Trump, it’s time to redraw Indiana’s congressional map!”
Stutzman’s northeastern seat is probably the most isolated from any redistricting threats, though some worry that cracking deep-blue Indianapolis into several districts — rather than packing all the voters into one — could erode the safe margins Republicans currently have in other seats.
Of Indiana’s nine congressional districts, seven are held by the GOP. Outside of Indianapolis, Democrats hold the northwestern Indiana district.
U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz — whose 5th District in central Indiana grew redder in the last map process — also came out in support. She pinned her statement to a post from California Gov. Gavin Newsom calling “to meet fire with fire.”
“This fall, Indiana will have the chance to respond to Democrats’ gerrymandering and stand with President Trump and the state of Texas to stand up for our REPUBLIC! Given developments across the country, I fully support mid-cycle redistricting,” Spartz said.
And U.S. Rep. Mark Messmer, R-8th, posted this statement: “I am proud to support Hoosier State Legislators and our great @GovBraun in fighting the long history of weaponized voter manipulation in CA, NY, and IL. Redistricting in Indiana will accurately reflect the will of Hoosier voices.”
Messmer was in state Senate leadership when the current congressional map was drawn in 2021 by Indiana Republicans.
As the day wore on, four more Hoosier Republican U.S. representatives announced their support – 2nd District Rep. Rudy Yakym; 9th District Rep. Erin Houchin, 4th District Rep. Jim Baird and 6th District Rep. Jefferson Shreve.
Democrat U.S. Reps. Frank Mrvan and André Carson oppose the move. Their seats will be targeted under new maps.
Pressure on Hoosier Republicans
The push comes after national Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have pressured red states to reconfigure their maps ahead of 2026 to maximize GOP control in the U.S. House. Indiana was launched to the forefront of that conversation following recent meetings between Vice President JD Vance and top state leaders.
Indiana GOP legislators are headed to the White House next week for a visit that was previously scheduled, but now redistricting will be a topic.
Gov. Mike Braun reiterated Monday afternoon that he remains noncommittal on whether to call a special session for redistricting, saying the decision will depend on consensus within the General Assembly.
“I’m not going to call one unless there is going to be general agreement that we need to,” Braun told reporters, noting a session could cost taxpayers roughly $150,000. A special session in Indiana in 2022 cost about $240,000.
Braun acknowledged the national political pressure but emphasized that Indiana is already solidly Republican.
“Yes, there will be political pressure put on, and it will be cranked up, probably closer you get to the finish line of when they’d like to get it done.”
He added that Republicans “run 88% of the local government offices,” he said. “When southern Indiana, where I’m from, flipped 20 years ago, [it] started into become solidly red congressional districts. It changed, and it’s going to change until something else will flip the other way”.
Still, he left the door open to GOP lawmakers’ demands.
“We could create nine Republican districts,” Braun said. “But … many things that should evolve (should) not be done out of context”.
Divisions in the caucus
But not all Republicans are on board.
Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, blasted the idea of an emergency session to redraw congressional lines.
“Under no circumstances will I vote for a new map,” Clere said in a written statement provided to the Capital Chronicle. “Special sessions should be reserved for emergencies. The president’s desperation to maintain a U.S. House majority by stacking the deck in favor of Republicans does not constitute an emergency.”
Clere, speaking before Monday’s caucus, warned that rushing the process without public hearings could open the state to legal challenges and set a dangerous precedent.
“It would be another step toward a full-time legislature, and that’s the last thing Indiana needs,” he continued. “There is nothing that can’t wait until the next regular session.”
He added that redistricting could even backfire on Republicans: “Be careful what you ask for — a new congressional map could have the effect of making some Republican-held congressional districts more competitive.”
Meanwhile, GOP activists have ramped up pressure on lawmakers through telephone calls to Hoosier constituents.
Longtime Republican Jewell DeBonis told the Capital Chronicle she received multiple automated “robocalls” urging her to contact local legislators, though several initially targeted the wrong representatives. She has since filed a complaint with the attorney general’s office.
“Braun said wait and see what Texas does. I’m offended by that,” DeBonis said. “It shouldn’t matter to us in Indiana what people in Texas or California or Illinois do. We’re better than that. We should stand up for what’s right for Indiana, regardless of what other states are doing. If we go down this path of redistricting every time we get concerned about what the outcomes of the next election might be that’s just perilous. It’s just wrong. … The Republican Party is better than this.”
Josh DeFonce, the communications director for Attorney General Todd Rokita, confirmed that the office had received calls to investigate the legality of Forward America’s robocalls.
“We rely primarily on complaints to investigate consumer related matters including robocalls,” DeFonce said. “… we now have multiple to review. Only just receiving them today and as you can understand, it will take some time to review those appropriately and fully.”
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a co-founder and the executive director of Turning Point USA, also took to social media to threaten Indiana’s GOP incumbents.
“We will support primary opponents for Republicans in the Indiana State Legislature who refuse to support the team and redraw the maps. I’ve heard from grassroots across the country and they want elected Republicans to stand up and fight for them. It’s time for Republicans to be TOUGH Don’t let California steal the 2026 house from us.”
Niki Kelly, the Indiana Capital Chronicle’s editor-in-chief contributed to this story.
The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.
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