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The Hill
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump officials eye Indiana as redistricting war intensifies
The Trump administration is turning its attention to Indiana as Republicans look for other red states to follow Texas's lead in the building redistricting battle. Vice President Vance is visiting Indianapolis on Thursday to meet with Gov. Mike Braun (R) amid chatter about potential mid-cycle redistricting in the Hoosier State. Braun has said there are no commitments at the moment, but left the door open for the matter to come up at the meeting. The visit suggests Indiana could be one of the next states on the GOP's list to move forward with redrawing congressional maps, though it's unclear whether Indiana Republicans have the appetite for it. 'They are completely rewriting the implied rule book,' Pete Seat, a GOP strategist and former communications director for the Indiana Republican Party, said of the redistricting push. 'It's a Pandora's box, because if you do it in Texas, you do it here, you do it in some other red states. What's going to happen in the blue states? They're going to respond in kind. And then you have a redistricting arms race, and I don't know where that ends,' Seat said. Vance's visit to Indianapolis comes amid escalating drama over a proposed redraw in Texas, where a plan backed by President Trump could net Republicans five House seats ahead of next year's high-stakes midterms. Texas Democrats fled the state over the weekend, breaking quorum in a last-ditch bid to stall the state legislature from moving forward. Meanwhile, the developments in the Lone Star State have had a domino effect across the country. In calling for the Texas changes last month, Trump floated that 'there could be some other states' on the table. The Trump administration's political allies were quietly exploring options in Indiana late last month, Punchbowl News reported. And the Indy Star reported on Wednesday that Vance was expected to talk to state leaders about a potential redraw. Braun's office confirmed to The Hill that the governor is set for a private meeting with Vance on Thursday to discuss a number of topics, without specifying whether redistricting is on that agenda. Vance's team also said that the vice president will 'discuss a variety of issues' with Braun and state officials while in town to headline a Republican National Committee fundraiser, according to a statement obtained by NewsNation, The Hill's sister station. 'At the end of the day, it's up to Braun and the state legislature. But … I'm sure [redistricting] is going to be touched upon, because it's a situation where you would be, if the opportunity presents itself based on the law, on the data, etc, then you'd be foolish not to try to take advantage of it,' said GOP strategist Ford O'Connell, a former Trump White House and campaign surrogate. Asked on Tuesday whether he'd call for a special session if the vice president asked him to do so for redistricting, the Indiana governor told reporters that 'whatever we discuss there, and if that topic comes up, it's exploratory.' 'So 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, and obviously you can see in Texas how that's eventuated,' Braun said, according to WXIN, a NewsNation affiliate. To change the maps, Braun would need to call a special session of the state General Assembly, where Republicans boast a supermajority — and they'd have to act quickly to make it happen before the midterms. 'My guess, if I had to guess, would be that JD Vance would try to sort of take the governor's temperature on the likelihood of a special session being called,' said Steven Webster, a political science professor at the University of Indiana in Bloomington. O'Connell argued that it would be wise for Vance and Braun to have a conversation about the options, 'because if the shoe was on the other foot, the Democrats would be having that conversation if they hadn't already eaten up all the Republican seats.' Republicans hold seven of the state's nine congressional seats, but some think the GOP could get at least one more. 'That seems kind of like a small thing. But on the other hand, when the balance of power is often so tight in Washington, I think there's probably value in getting any seats that you possibly could if you're a political party,' Webster said. Redrawn Indiana lines would likely squeeze Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.) in the northwest, while Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) may be somewhat safer in his district around Indianapolis. 'It is no surprise that some believe redistricting is the only option to cling to power when they know the American people are rejecting the damage done by the House Republican Majority,' Mrvan said in a statement on potential Indiana redistricting, arguing it would be 'reprehensible' to call the state Assembly in for a special session on the matter. Other Indiana Democrats have pushed back strongly against the possibility. 'Sending the Vice President here to beg for another Congressional seat is beyond absurd,' Indiana Democratic Party Chair Karen Tallian said in a statement. State Rep. Matt Pierce said in a statement from the state House Democratic caucus that Trump and Vance are 'desperate' if they think that 'having seven of the nine seats in Indiana held by Republicans is not enough.' Whether Vance ultimately raises the matter during his visit or not, it remains unclear whether Indiana Republicans would want to pursue it. 'We know that redistricting is expensive. And we had just done this back in 2021,' said Carly Schmitt, a political science professor at Indiana State University, pointing to redistricting efforts after the 2020 census. 'If we're thinking about the need to shore up more Republican [power] either at the state level or the congressional level, it's already happened.' Indiana has an 'A' grade in the Gerrymandering Project's report card for its latest round of congressional redistricting, while Texas has an 'F' grade. 'My sense is there will be – and is – hesitation regarding this idea. Because Republicans in this state take great pride in how we redistrict,' Seat said. 'You're not hearing a lot of excitement for this idea that the way you have seen and heard it in Texas.' But Indiana isn't the only sign that the Trump administration is looking for redistricting opportunities beyond the Lone Star State. Missouri Republicans have signaled openness to redistricting after the state House Speaker pro tem reportedly got a call from the White House last month, according to the Missouri Independent. Ohio is set to redistrict due to state requirements, and Florida Republicans have also floated a redraw in Texas's stead. Meanwhile, Democrats are looking to counter would-be GOP gains by weighing redistricting in blue strongholds, including New York and California. The Golden State's Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has said he's moving forward with a plan to put redistricting before voters this fall, contingent on what happens in Texas. 2024 Election Coverage The talk of tit-for-tat redistricting and the potential for other states to get involved threatens to roil next year's midterms, as Republicans defend their slim 219-212 majority in the House. 'I mean, it could very well end with the exact same margin that we have now,' Seat said. If Texas moves forward, prompting California and other states, he added, 'I think it's just going to be a tit-for-tat until every single deadline hits.'
Indianapolis Star
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Mike Braun is failing Indiana, yet wants to be president
Mike Braun hated being a U.S. senator and left after one failed term. Now, he's not quite six months into a failing term as Indiana governor, and he's already looking for his next job. Politico's Adam Wren reports Braun is discussing a run for president in 2028, the strongest signal yet that he is as delusional as he is inept. Here's Braun's record as governor so far: He over-promised a massive property tax cut and couldn't deliver. It won't get better from here. The economy is worsening, which means Braun is likely to oversee an era of increasingly draconian budget cuts, rising unemployment and accelerated decline in rural areas. That is not the stuff of presidential campaigns. Put aside Braun's botched first legislative session. Presidents need to be good at politics. Braun is bad at politics. Braun didn't have the political acumen to stop Micah Beckwith's lieutenant governor nomination last year, but he thinks he can navigate a presidential primary? Does he know that other people will be running? Briggs: Jim Banks would let Trump commit any crime you can imagine Braun's fiasco at last year's Indiana Republican Party convention saddled him with a lieutenant governor who overshadows him at every turn and is openly opposing him. Remember, President Trump actually endorsed Braun's preferred running mate, state Rep. Julie McGuire, and it didn't matter. Beckwith won anyway because Indiana's populist right views Beckwith as authentic and Braun and his team as MAGA cosplayers. Beckwith's outsized presence has forced Braun into errors, such as making the ill-advised property tax promise and then doubling down on it at a Beckwith-headlined rally where Braun was the third wheel. Braun lacks principles and objectives, so he operates as a copycat politician. But he doesn't actually understand why figures such as Trump or Beckwith are successful, so he offers awkward imitations and looks pathetic. Yes, Braun has won big elections. He ran an exceptional campaign for U.S. Senate in 2018 and then lucked his way through an overcrowded and underwhelming GOP primary field for governor last year before winning in November. Despite all that winning, he doesn't have a single substantive achievement to serve as a foundation for a presidential run. He doesn't even have a lame culture war win. Braun is a sad man in a blue shirt who can't appreciate any of his business or electoral success because he's always looking for the next big, powerful job to give his life meaning. There is no national demand for someone like this to run for president. Braun is not going to be president. What's worse, Braun also won't be much of a governor. Who do you know who excels at a job they don't want? Braun is bored with being governor, just like he got bored early in his Senate term. We're stuck for three and a half years with someone who pursued the governor's office for a dopamine rush and now would prefer to be elsewhere. Briggs: Diego Morales is rubbing our faces in his corruption. Impeach him now. Braun checking out on Indiana was entirely predictable. Why did he want to be a senator? Why did he want to be governor? Why does he want to be president? I'm genuinely asking. As far as I can tell, Braun has no theory of government external to his own ambitions. He runs for office for the sake of running for office. Unlike when Braun was a non-factor in the Senate, Hoosiers will notice him checking out now. Braun is not even a sure thing to win a second term as governor, should he decide to run, much less a top-tier contender for the presidency. The only thing ahead for Braun, 71, is retirement. He can either come up with something productive to do and try to leave a lasting impact on Indiana, or keep doing TV hits and signing inconsequential executive orders to look busy. Either way, his presidential ambition is a fantasy. The most pitiful thing about Braun is he'll be the last person to figure that out. Contact James Briggs at 317-444-4732 or Follow him on X and Bluesky at @JamesEBriggs.
Indianapolis Star
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Mike Braun is failing Indiana, yet wants to be president
Mike Braun hated being a U.S. senator and left after one failed term. Now, he's not quite six months into a failing term as Indiana governor, and he's already looking for his next job. Politico's Adam Wren reports Braun is discussing a run for president in 2028, the strongest signal yet that he is as delusional as he is inept. Here's Braun's record as governor so far: He over-promised a massive property tax cut and couldn't deliver. It won't get better from here. The economy is worsening, which means Braun is likely to oversee an era of increasingly draconian budget cuts, rising unemployment and accelerated decline in rural areas. That is not the stuff of presidential campaigns. Put aside Braun's botched first legislative session. Presidents need to be good at politics. Braun is bad at politics. Braun didn't have the political acumen to stop Micah Beckwith's lieutenant governor nomination last year, but he thinks he can navigate a presidential primary? Does he know that other people will be running? Briggs: Jim Banks would let Trump commit any crime you can imagine Braun's fiasco at last year's Indiana Republican Party convention saddled him with a lieutenant governor who overshadows him at every turn and is openly opposing him. Remember, President Trump actually endorsed Braun's preferred running mate, state Rep. Julie McGuire, and it didn't matter. Beckwith won anyway because Indiana's populist right views Beckwith as authentic and Braun and his team as MAGA cosplayers. Beckwith's outsized presence has forced Braun into errors, such as making the ill-advised property tax promise and then doubling down on it at a Beckwith-headlined rally where Braun was the third wheel. Braun lacks principles and objectives, so he operates as a copycat politician. But he doesn't actually understand why figures such as Trump or Beckwith are successful, so he offers awkward imitations and looks pathetic. Yes, Braun has won big elections. He ran an exceptional campaign for U.S. Senate in 2018 and then lucked his way through an overcrowded and underwhelming GOP primary field for governor last year before winning in November. Despite all that winning, he doesn't have a single substantive achievement to serve as a foundation for a presidential run. He doesn't even have a lame culture war win. Braun is a sad man in a blue shirt who can't appreciate any of his business or electoral success because he's always looking for the next big, powerful job to give his life meaning. There is no national demand for someone like this to run for president. Braun is not going to be president. What's worse, Braun also won't be much of a governor. Who do you know who excels at a job they don't want? Braun is bored with being governor, just like he got bored early in his Senate term. We're stuck for three and a half years with someone who pursued the governor's office for a dopamine rush and now would prefer to be elsewhere. Briggs: Diego Morales is rubbing our faces in his corruption. Impeach him now. Braun checking out on Indiana was entirely predictable. Why did he want to be a senator? Why did he want to be governor? Why does he want to be president? I'm genuinely asking. As far as I can tell, Braun has no theory of government external to his own ambitions. He runs for office for the sake of running for office. Unlike when Braun was a non-factor in the Senate, Hoosiers will notice him checking out now. Braun is not even a sure thing to win a second term as governor, should he decide to run, much less a top-tier contender for the presidency. The only thing ahead for Braun, 71, is retirement. He can either come up with something productive to do and try to leave a lasting impact on Indiana, or keep doing TV hits and signing inconsequential executive orders to look busy. Either way, his presidential ambition is a fantasy. The most pitiful thing about Braun is he'll be the last person to figure that out.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Diego Morales is rubbing our faces in his corruption. Impeach him now.
Diego Morales is the blundering con man everyone knew he was. Everyone. Knew. It. The Republicans who clothed themselves in green shirts in 2022 and propped up Morales to lead an office that had previously fired him as a low-level employee knew they were nominating an unqualified hack to an important job. They did it anyway because of some silly beef with Gov. Eric Holcomb and former Secretary of State Holli Sullivan. Former Indiana Republican Party Chairman Kyle Hupfer knew Morales faced credible sexual assault allegations from Republican women — and Hupfer stood by Morales anyway. Briggs: Micah Beckwith and his Indiana DOGE bros are livin' large Republican mega donor Bob Grand knew Morales was running on a fake resume and a pile of lies. Nonetheless, Grand facilitated the capital for Morales' shameful statewide election win. Morales knew he got over on everyone — everyone! — when he won in 2022, stepped up to the microphone and said with a smug smile, "The truth always prevails. Let me say that again: The truth always prevails." Morales' truth did prevail. Morales is committing unfettered acts of corruption and he feels invincible. Why wouldn't he? Everyone who had a chance to stop him declined to do so. Every powerful Republican in Indiana — Gov. Mike Braun, Attorney General Todd Rokita, Sens. Jim Banks and Todd Young and on and on — smile in photos with Morales. He is doing whatever he wants, rubbing Republicans' faces in it and they're taking it because he's on their team and winning is more important than accountability. The Indiana General Assembly should initiate impeachment proceedings immediately and remove this disgrace from office. The last straw should be IndyStar's report Friday that Morales not only acquired a $90,000 SUV for himself on the taxpayer dime, but also purchased it from the Kelley Automotive Group, whose president, Thomas Kelley, has donated $65,000 to Morales' political campaign since October 2022. Maybe it's just a coincidence! Maybe a Fort Wayne dealership is the only place that had the GMC Yukon Denali in the precise color Morales wanted. But it sure looks like quid pro quo, especially when you consider Kelley also is on Morales' Motor Vehicle Advisory Board, which influences auto dealer regulation, as IndyStar's Hayleigh Colombo reported. Add another revelation to Morales' pile of profligacy, along with his recent mystery-funded 10-day "economic development" mission to India, his six-figure brother-in-law on staff and his affinity for spending lots of state money on trinkets with his name on them. Republican lawmakers have finally started criticizing Morales' spending habits, which, good for them. But does Morales seem like an elected official who's going to be chastened? Morales isn't up for reelection until next year. He's got free rein to keep treating taxpayers and donors as his personal entitlements. The only check on Morales' mounting abuses is for the Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate to impeach Morales and remove him from office. Anything short of impeachment is yet another signal from the Indiana Republican Party that it tolerates corruption so long as their guy is doing it. Republicans lose credibility every day that Morales operates the secretary of state's office like his personal fiefdom, enriching himself and his family while running covert foreign missions with no oversight or explanation. But the problem is not just Republicans. After a long, heated battle for Indiana Democratic Party chair resulted in Karen Tallian's victory last month, the minority party has done next to nothing to push Republicans toward accountability. Give state Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, tremendous credit for a tough and fair line of questioning into Morales' choices during a committee hearing in January. But that's not enough. Democrats should be holding press conferences next to Morales' Yukon demanding investigations and impeachment proceedings into a statewide elected official who is obviously bilking taxpayers. If Democrats can't gain traction during a time when Indiana Republicans' hypocrisy and misconduct are on full display and President Trump is tanking the economy on purpose through tariffs, then they might be hopeless for another generation. Republicans aren't doing anything about Morales because they don't have any pressure to act. The party isn't going to just fold into itself, no matter how much it abdicates moral leadership. Indiana needs a credible, energetic opposition party to demand that elected officials serve the public rather than themselves. If Tallian isn't up to that job, then she should acknowledge it now and get out of the way for someone else who can do it. Morales' grifting isn't happening in a vacuum. He's cheating the state with a smile on his face because the entire system is letting him. Republicans can do something about it right now if they want to. And, if they don't, Democrats should hold up Morales' Yukon as a symbol of Republican failure every day from now until Nov. 3, 2026. Contact James Briggs at 317-444-4732 or Follow him on X and Bluesky at @JamesEBriggs. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Diego Morales' $90K car is the last straw. Impeach him. | Opinion
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fort Wayne City Clerk Keesling elected as GOP chair
Gov. Mike Braun with incoming Republican Party Chair Lana Keesling, a former clerk. (Courtesy photo) Fort Wayne City Clerk Lana Keesling will be the next leader of the Indiana Republican Party following a unanimous vote from the Indiana Republican State Committee Thursday. 'I am deeply honored by the trust Governor Braun and the Indiana Republican State Committee have placed to serve as our party's Chairwoman,' said Keesling. 'I have always been a firm believer in our party's agenda, and I am deeply grateful to have this opportunity to grow our party and deliver for Hoosiers. As Chairwoman, my first priority will always be to listen to and represent our entire state, and I am certain that together we can create an even stronger, more collaborative, and more effective party.' Keesling received the endorsement of Gov. Mike Braun earlier this month. She will be the fourth party chair in the last two years. CONTACT US '… I commend the State Committee for their decision and appreciated the opportunity to work with them to find leadership for our party,' Braun said in a statement congratulating Keesling. 'Lana is a leader who understands commitment, service, and hard work. She will be a tremendous asset to our grassroots leaders and all Hoosier Republicans.' A party release highlighted Keesling's fundraising record and success in flipping an elected office after decades of Democratic control. She also served as the vice chair of the Allen County Republican Party and the treasurer of the 3rd District Republican Congressional Committee. Keesling worked in the private sector prior to her tenure in public office and had a small business. According to her biography on the Fort Wayne city website, Keesling is a Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service alumna, the president of the Allen County Republican Women's Group and a member of the Downtown GOP Club. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and an MBA. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
