Indiana's D.C. delegation pushes redistricting as state lawmakers meet behind closed doors
The pressure campaign on X mounted at the same time that state House Republicans met privately off Statehouse grounds to discuss President Donald Trump's push to redraw maps mid-decade, which to date has proven unpopular among the state lawmakers.
Gov. Mike Braun, who has the power to call a special session to redistrict, told reporters Aug. 18 he is still undecided and leaning on the will of the legislature.
"I'm not going to call them unless there is going to be general agreement that we need to," he said.
Nor did the House Republican caucus make any decisions at their two-hour meeting, held at a private office building on the north side of the city.
"We're still talking," House Speaker Todd Huston told the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
An hour before the House caucused, U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman of the 3rd District was the first to post on X that "it's time to redraw Indiana's congressional map." Five of his colleagues in the Indiana delegation followed suit over the next few hours, some posting on campaign accounts and some on their official ones: U.S. Reps. Victoria Spartz of the 5th, Rudy Yakym of the 2nd, Mark Messmer of the 8th, Erin Houchin of the 9th and Jim Baird of the 4th.
All of their posts followed the same formula, framing the desire to redistrict as a response to Democrats' gerrymandering in blue states.
Two of those supporters, Messmer and Houchin, voted for Indiana's current congressional maps as state representatives when they were drawn in 2021. Now they are saying redrawing the maps mid-decade could help strengthen conservative representation in Washington. Right now, Republicans hold seven of Indiana's nine seats.
Messmer made sure to tag Gov. Mike Braun in his post, in whose hands the decision to call a special session lies.
"I am proud to support Hoosier State Legislators and our great @GovBraun in fighting the long history of weaponized voter manipulation in CA, NY, and IL," Messmer wrote. "Redistricting in Indiana will accurately reflect the will of Hoosier voices."
Rep. Jefferson Shreve of the 6th has not yet spoken publicly about redistricting.
This slew of social media messaging is only the latest pressure tactic from D.C. as Indiana lawmakers have come forward vehemently opposing redistricting. Many voters in certain regions of the state received texts and robocalls from a group calling themselves "Forward America," urging them to tell their state legislators to "fight back against the radical left's agenda" and "stand up for redistricting."
Moreover, some Indiana lawmakers will be heading to D.C. next week for a previously-scheduled meeting where they will talk about how to "implement President Trump's agenda." While the invitation pre-dates Indiana's pushback and the agenda doesn't explicitly include redistricting, this presents an in-person opportunity for the topic to come up.
More: As national conservatives urge Indiana to redistrict, even pro-Trump lawmakers are opposed
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