Heartland Democracy Project (@heartlanddemproj.bsky.social)

'The votes aren't there': Red state lawmakers give up on Trump's push for more House seats Republican leaders in the Indiana Senate Republican Caucus announced Wednesday they currently do not have sufficient votes to proceed with a plan to redraw congressional districts mid‑decade. In a statement released by the Senate Majority Communications Office, as reported by Fox 59, the caucus declared: “the votes aren’t there for redistricting.” The announcement comes amid mounting pressure from President Donald Trump's administration for states to pursue redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections — a strategy aimed at strengthening the Republican Party’s numbers in the U.S. House of Representatives. Supporters of the effort argue that a redrawing of Indiana’s nine congressional seats, currently held by seven Republicans and two Democrats, could tilt the balance further in their favor. However, the resistance within the Senate has become a decisive roadblock. Governor Mike Braun (R) has signaled willingness to explore a special session for redistricting but insists the legislature must be on board. “On that particular topic ... my key was to make sure there was going to be buy‑in broadly throughout the legislature,” Braun told WRTV. Braun also admitted Wednesday that the White House was pressuring lawmakers to support redistricting. "There's been a lot of jawboning from [the] White House with [State] Senators especially, so we're getting close," he told local media. Meanwhile, Democrats have been vocal in their criticism of the proposal, calling it an attempt to undermine fair representation. Earlier this month, Indiana Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder (D) said, “They don’t have the votes, currently.” Public opinion appears to back her assessment, as recent polling found that 53 percent of Indiana voters opposed mid‑cycle redistricting, with only 34 percent in support. http://dlvr.it/TNqg2z