Hoosier Democrats rally while GOP meets with President Trump
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Indiana Democrats and constituents Tuesday at the Indianapolis Airport. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios
Indiana Democrats are preparing to be called into a special legislative session to redraw the state's congressional districts.
The big picture: The redistricting arms race is on after Texas passed a new congressional map that will likely give Republicans five more seats in a closely divided U.S. House.
Driving the news: Indiana's Republican state lawmakers were in Washington, D.C., Tuesday at the invitation of President Trump, who was expected to lobby the Hoosier delegation to redraw the state map to pick up at least one of the two congressional seats held by Democrats.
- While members of the supermajority were boarding flights, a handful of Statehouse Democrats held a press conference at the airport to criticize the meeting and call on Hoosiers to push back.
What they're saying: "I think we will go into a special session," Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, said. "I think that Republicans will fall in line."
- Pryor said she's heard individually from Republican colleagues that they don't want to get involved in the redistricting fight, but she still expects them to bend to Trump's will.
What's next: Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder said Democrats are expecting any new map will disenfranchise voters, particularly voters of color, and the party is prepared to file a lawsuit in that case.
- "This isn't redistricting," Yoder said. "This is rigging. This is cheating."
Reality check: There is little else Democrats can do.
- In the superminority, they can't block legislation if Gov. Mike Braun calls the Indiana General Assembly back in for a special session.
Zoom in: A redistricting effort in Indiana would likely focus on Indiana's 1st District in the northwest corner, the most competitive of the state's nine districts.
- The other Democratic seat is the 7th District, which covers most of Indianapolis.
- Redrawing that district would be more difficult to do without compromising the Republican strongholds that surround it.
The latest: A new poll of registered Hoosier voters, obtained by Politico, found the majority oppose the unprecedented mid-cycle districting effort.
- A protest is planned for Tuesday night at the Statehouse.