Indiana Senate rejects Trump’s gerrymander push

Protesters at Indiana's statehouse urge state Senate to reject new congressional map (Image credit: Michael Conroy / AP Photo)

What happened

Indiana’s state Senate Thursday rejected a new congressional map 31-19, with 21 Republicans joining all 10 Democrats, in a rebuke of President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign. The proposed gerrymander, approved by the state House last week, would have likely flipped the state’s two Democratic-held U.S. House seats, giving Indiana a 9-0 GOP delegation.

Who said what

The failed vote is one of Trump’s “most significant political setbacks since his return to the White House,” Politico said. It followed a “brass-knuckled, four-month pressure campaign from the White House,” including “private meetings and public shaming from Trump,” multiple Indiana visits by Vice President JD Vance, “veiled threats of withheld federal funds,” open threats of well-funded primary challenges, and personal threats against lawmakers and their families.

“The federal government should not dictate by threat or other means what should happen in our states,” said Sen. Spencer Deery (R), one of the no votes. “Hoosiers are very independent,” Sen. Vaneta Becker (R), told The Washington Post. “And they’re not used to Washington trying to tell us what to do.”

Gov. Mike Braun (R) said he was “very disappointed that a small group of misguided state senators” partnered with Democrats to vote against “fair maps” and “reject the leadership of President Trump.” Former Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) praised the “courageous principled leadership” of Republicans like state Senate leader Rodric Bray for giving Trump “a major black eye.” Trump told reporters Thursday night that “Bray, whatever his name is,” had “done a tremendous disservice,” but “I wasn’t working on it very hard” and “we won every other state.”

What next?

Indiana was “just one small part” of Trump’s “plan to keep the House in Republican hands” through a “gerrymandering war” that started in Texas and has so far netted his party three likely seats, The New York Times said. But the failure of his “gambit in deep-red Indiana is likely to reverberate around the country as the parties head into the 2026 midterm elections.”

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.