Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun on Tuesday made his most overt political threat to recalcitrant Republican state senators over early congressional redistricting, saying he’d look for ways to “compel” them to act—and vowing to support primary challengers.
Braun’s rebuke came shortly after a deep divide among Senate Republicans was exposed with a typically routine vote on adjourning Tuesday’s procedural Organization Day session until January.
Votes in the Senate and House set Jan. 5 as the date lawmakers will return to the Statehouse and start the new legislative session—not on Dec. 1, as previously planned, to take up President Donald Trump’s wish for Republican-led states to draw more GOP-friendly U.S. House districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The Senate’s adjournment resolution was approved by a 29-19 margin. All 10 Democratic senators supported the resolution, while Republicans senators split 19-19 on whether to back Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray’s decision last week against meeting in December, on the grounds of too little support for a congressional redistricting to pass the chamber.
The Senate’s action sidesteps Braun’s call for a special legislative session that was to have started Nov. 3, with Braun responding Tuesday that “it’s time now for our state senators to commit to showing up for work.”
“Unfortunately, Sen. Rod Bray was forced to partner with DEMOCRATS to block an effort by the growing number of America First Senators who wanted to have a vote on passing fair maps. Now I am left with no choice other than to explore all options at my disposal to compel the State Senate to show up and vote,” Braun said in a written statement. “I will support President Trump’s efforts to recruit, endorse, and finance primary challengers for Indiana’s senators who refuse to support fair maps.”
Braun’s office did not immediately answer questions from the Indiana Capital Chronicle about what steps the governor could take to “compel” Senate action.
In a statement to the Capital Chronicle, Bray downplayed the dispute.
“Senate Republicans may have a difference of opinion on a policy matter with the governor, and that happens from time to time, but we are committed to pursuing policies that will make life better for Hoosiers, and we will continue to look for ways to collaborate with the governor,” Bray said.
Bray: redistricting “not the right way”
Redistricting supporters wanted Indiana lawmakers to craft a map with all nine of the state’s congressional districts favoring Republicans. They’d be based on 2020 census data, like the current maps.
Those were drawn by Republicans in 2021, and maintained a 7-2 GOP majority—with Democrat Frank Mrvan holding the 1st District in northwest Indiana and Democrat André Carson holding the 7th District, which covers much of Indianapolis.
Bray told reporters Tuesday that redrawn maps wouldn’t guarantee “an automatic nine” Republican Hoosier members of Congress.
Bray said he wants to see Republicans maintain the U.S. House majority but that he and other GOP senators didn’t favor redrawing the 2021 maps.
“I’m not sure that a number of members of our caucus, at least I’m included in that number, don’t feel like it’s the right way to move forward, simply because it’s not the right way to get that goal achieved,” Bray said.
House Speaker Todd Huston said Tuesday that “House Republicans have the necessary votes to address this issue and we stand ready to get the job done.”
Huston adjourned the House until Jan. 5, but told members to remain prepared for a possible return during the first two weeks of December.
“My hope is that with our great colleagues in the Senate, we’ll embrace this, and then we all return in early December for a special session to pass new maps,” Huston told reporters. “… This has been a fluid situation for a while now, and it’ll continue to be fluid, I’m sure.”
Despite Indiana being among Trump’s targets for congressional redistricting since August, Huston maintained that Republicans haven’t settled on a new map plan.
“We haven’t gotten that far,” he said. “Had some conversations, we haven’t gotten that far.”
Trump rebukes senators again
Trump has used social media in recent days to rebuke Bray and other Republican senators who don’t support redistricting.
Trump did so again Tuesday with a post that said Braun “must produce” on redistricting.
“I won Indiana in a landslide, the most votes ever gotten in the State–Such an HONOR! A RINO State Senator, Rodric Bray, who doesn’t care about keeping the Majority in the House in D.C., is the primary problem,” Trump’s post said.
One senator seemingly switched his position on redistricting.
Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, had been counted as a “no” for weeks but clarified on the Senate floor Tuesday that “when push comes to shove,” he would vote “yes” in support of Trump.
Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, came out in opposition on Tuesday.
“The message from my district has been clear—they do not support mid-cycle redistricting, and therefore I cannot support it,” Holdman said in a written statement.
The current standing among the 40 Republican senators who have publicly stated a position on redistricting is 15 in favor and 10 against. Several other Senate Republicans declined to state their position, with some wanting to see a proposed map first.
Braun sees redistricting fight in ‘first inning’
Braun sat alongside Huston and Bray during an unrelated event a couple hours ahead of the afternoon floor sessions.
Neither of the legislative leaders nor the governor spoke to the few dozen people attending a pro-redistricting rally feet away, which drew redistricting advocates Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Secretary of State Diego Morales.
Braun suggested to reporters Tuesday morning that the House could advance a redistricting bill even without senators in the Statehouse.
“The House is already publicly out there for it, anxious for them to get a bill out there that they send to the Senate,” Braun said.
Tuesday’s Senate vote also divided Republican leaders there. Bray and Holdman—who holds the No. 3 leadership post as majority caucus chair—voted to adjourn until January, while Senate Majority Floor Leader Chris Garten, the second-ranking leader, voted against the resolution.
Braun maintained that momentum was building in favor of Indiana going along with Trump’s redistricting push.
“When that decision was made by Senator Bray, that’s because it was so close,” Braun said. “With all the pressure, all the stuff that’s going to come from here forward, this is just in the first inning, so we’re going to see what happens.”
The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.