Indiana House passes congressional map to benefit Republicans
Teh Indiana House of Representatives passed a new congressional map designed to favor Republicans in all nine of the state’s districts. The bill passed wiht a 57-41 vote, with twelve Republicans opposing the GOP-backed plan. The redistricting, a mid-decade effort, aims to dilute Democratic strongholds by splitting Indianapolis and northwest Indiana, perhaps giving Republicans two additional House seats in the next midterm elections.the measure now moves to the Indiana Senate, where its approval is less certain. The redistricting effort has been contentious,drawing opposition from Democrats and some Republicans,and prompting pressure from pro-Trump groups like Turning Point USA. Indiana Governor Mike Braun supports the new map, which has sparked debate over its impact on voters and the political balance in the state.
Indiana House passes congressional map designed to benefit Republicans
The Indiana House of Representatives voted on Friday to pass the GOP-friendly congressional map that has become the source of contention between state Republican lawmakers and President Donald Trump.
The bill, which redraws Indiana’s congressional map to benefit Republicans in all of the state’s nine districts, passed the lower chamber by a 57-41 margin. Twelve Republicans broke from the GOP supermajority to oppose the bill.
Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston and state Rep. Ben Smaltz were the only two Republicans to speak in support of the redrawn map on the floor ahead of the vote.
“While the census anchors the process, nothing in the law prevents a legislature from revisiting maps when circumstances demand it,” Smaltz said.
The mid-decade redistricting measure now heads to the Indiana Senate, where it will face a more difficult path for passage. The upper chamber will convene on Monday to weigh the bill.
The legislature’s consideration of the bill faced a setback last month when Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray announced the chamber would not proceed with the process to redraw the state’s congressional map.
His response drew the president’s ire, which served as the catalyst for primary challenge threats and violent harassment against Indiana Republicans who opposed redistricting. At least 11 Republicans, including state Sen. Greg Goode, have since undergone swatting attempts at their homes.
If approved, the map would break up the state’s two Democratic districts by splitting Indianapolis into four districts and dividing northwest Indiana into two districts. The move would dilute the state’s Democratic stronghold and likely hand Republicans two more House seats for next year’s midterm elections.
State Reps. Andre Carson and Frank Mrvan are the two sole Democrats in Indiana’s nine-member congressional delegation.
Before the bill’s passage, Democrats condemned the Republican-redrawn map.
TPUSA MOUNTS PRESSURE CAMPAIGN ON INDIANA REPUBLICANS OPPOSED TO REDISTRICTING
“This is a direct attack on the system, but more importantly, it’s a blatant tell that you don’t care what Hoosiers want,” Indiana House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta said. His remarks proved futile. However, it remains to be seen whether the Indiana Senate joins the state House in backing the bill next week.
The Indiana GOP’s small redistricting win came as Turning Point USA held a rally at the state capitol to pressure Republicans to get behind Trump’s redistricting agenda. Gov. Mike Braun (R-IN), who is working with the legislature to get the map passed, supported the president’s plan at the event.
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