In a surprising political upset, Indiana Republicans have broken ranks with former President Donald Trump by rejecting a redistricting plan aimed at boosting GOP gains in the 2026 midterm elections.
By Qamar farooqui | International Desk
In the Republican-dominated Indiana Senate, 21 GOP lawmakers joined all 10 Democrats to defeat the proposal by 31–19. The state House had already approved the map last week, and passage in the Senate was expected—until the rebellion.
Had the plan passed, Republicans hoped to flip the only two Democratic-held congressional seats in the state.
Trump has been pressuring Republican-led states nationwide to redraw congressional maps to help the party maintain control of the U.S. House next year. His push has sparked fresh redistricting battles across the country, especially in Texas, California, Utah, Ohio, New Hampshire, Missouri, and Illinois.
“Not Conservative”: GOP Senator Breaks Ranks
Republican state senator Spencer Deery defended his vote against the Trump-backed map, saying redrawing districts mid-cycle violated conservative principles.
“My opposition to mid-cycle gerrymandering is not in contrast to my conservative principles — my opposition is driven by them,” he said before Thursday’s vote.
“I will resist any attempt by the federal government to bully or control this state. Giving Washington more power is not conservative.”
Indiana Governor Mike Braun, a Republican and Trump ally, expressed “deep disappointment” in the Senate vote and said he would work with the former president to “challenge” lawmakers who opposed the plan.
White House Pressure, Warnings & Threats
The vote followed months of direct lobbying from Trump and the White House.
Just a day before the vote, Trump warned on Truth Social that Republicans who blocked the map could “lose their seats”. He singled out Senate leader Rodric Bray, calling him “the only person in the United States who is against Republicans picking up extra seats.”
Trump hosted Indiana legislators at the White House in recent weeks, and Vice-President JD Vance was sent to the state twice to rally support.
Meanwhile, nearly a dozen Republican lawmakers in Indiana reported receiving death threats and swatting attacks tied to the redistricting battle.
A Major Setback in Trump’s Redistricting Push
The defeat marks another political setback for Trump following several recent Democratic wins in off-year elections. The push for aggressive GOP-led redrawing has been a major part of his strategy to regain congressional control.
Conservative strategist Steve Bannon voiced alarm on his podcast The War Room:
“We have a huge problem. If we don’t get a net pickup of 10 seats through redistricting, it will be extremely hard — maybe impossible — to hold the House.”
Texas & California Lead National Map Wars
Texas was the first state to follow Trump’s call for new maps. After a lower court blocked the plan for racial gerrymandering, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the GOP-drawn maps to proceed, giving Republicans an expected five-seat advantage.
California’s new Democratic-drawn map is also projected to give Democrats five additional seats.
Source: Media
