Vance coming to Indiana to talk redistricting
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The congressional redistricting fight — and Vice President JD Vance — are coming to Indiana.
The big picture: Texas Republicans' plan to draw a new congressional map more favorable to the GOP before the 2026 midterms — at the urging of President Trump — has seemingly sparked a chain reaction with Democrats looking to retaliate with new partisan maps of their own.
- Republicans are now considering other GOP-controlled states, like Indiana, where they can pick up another seat or two.
Driving the news: Gov. Mike Braun confirmed to reporters Tuesday that Vance is traveling to Indiana on Thursday for "a broad conversation" with Statehouse leaders.
What he's saying: "There's been no commitments made other than, I think, they're going to come into every state that's got the possibility of that happening," Braun said, noting it's "not typical" to redraw congressional maps outside of the 10-year census cycle.
How it works: No law would prohibit a mid-cycle redrawing of congressional maps, but Braun would have to call lawmakers back for a special session.
State of play: Republicans already control seven of Indiana's nine congressional seats.
- The Republican-controlled legislature last redrew the maps after the 2020 census, with the new districts taking effect in 2023, which didn't dramatically change from the 2010 maps.
- Braun said the current districts look "fairly reasonable."
The other side: "They like to make a lot of the fact that they look nice and compact, but those maps are drawn to maximize their advantage," State Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) said to reporters Tuesday.
- Pierce said he doesn't see Republicans being able to capture all nine seats — the 7th district that covers most Indianapolis is probably a safe seat for Democrats — but they may be able to redraw the 1st district, currently held by Democrat Frank Mrvan, to be more competitive.
- "You have to be pretty desperate to decide having seven of the nine seats in Indiana held by Republicans is not enough."
Pierce said he'd prefer a world in which all congressional maps were drawn on a non-partisan basis, but doesn't begrudge Democrats in states like California and New York fighting back.
- "This is a knife fight for democracy," he said.