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In a dramatic move, Hoosier State GOP legislators rejected a plan to redraw the state's congressional map on Thursday. This outcome marks a direct rebuke of Donald Trump and wider national efforts to alter electoral maps to advantage GOP candidates.

The Final Tally

The bill failed by a vote of 19 to 31. A notable group of twenty-one Republican senators voted alongside ten Democratic senators to reject the new district maps.

Currently, Republicans occupy seven of Indiana's nine congressional districts. The rejected map was designed to create Republican-leaning electorates in every single one of the House districts. This aimed to be achieved through several major changes:

• Splitting the Democratic base of Indianapolis into 4 different congressional areas.
• Appending segments of the city's electorate to adjacent heavily Republican districts.
• Breaking up the northwest congressional district, presently held by Frank Mrvan, into 2 new districts.

Defecting Senator

State Senator Greg Goode (R), a pivotal GOP defector, opposed the redistricting bill. In a extended floor speech, he asserted that his decision was in line with the will of his constituents.

"I am a Christian first and foremost, then an American citizen, then a conservative, then a member of the GOP – in that priority," he said. "I am confident that my vote reflects the view of my people."

National Context

This push in the Hoosier State took place during a national push by Donald Trump to pressure the redrawing of district lines to add more GOP House seats before next year’s midterm elections. Republicans currently maintain a very slim majority in the House and are widely expected to shed seats in the forthcoming vote.

In other states, Republicans in the Lone Star State, the Tar Heel State, and Missouri have each passed maps to benefit their party. At the same time, Democrats have responded by redrawing maps in places such as the Golden State to possibly add multiple seats. The Democratic party in Virginia are also ready to overhaul maps for party advantage.

Intense Pressure

Donald Trump undertook a aggressive campaign to lobby Hoosier GOP lawmakers to pass the map. Vice President J.D. Vance allegedly visited the Indiana Statehouse multiple times to lobby state senators.

In a post on his Truth Social, Trump voiced his displeasure on Wednesday. "All other State has done Redistricting, happily, openly, and easily. There was no doubt in their minds that contributing to a WIN in the Midterms for the Republicans was a good thing to do for our party, and for America itself," he wrote. "Unfortunately, Indiana's Senate “Leader” Senator Rod Bray seems to enjoy being the sole individual in the United States who is opposed to the GOP gaining additional seats, in Indiana's instance, 2 of them."

Pressure Tactics

In the days to the vote, some Indiana state Republicans allegedly faced threats of violence and swatting attempts. Furthermore, Vice President J.D. Vance and Donald Trump Jr. publicly criticized Senate Leader Rod Bray (R) ahead of the Thursday roll call.

Heritage Action, the advocacy branch of the right-leaning Heritage Foundation, also issued a statement, stating on Thursday that the state of Indiana would be stripped of congressional funds if it did not pass the redistricting plan. Their statement implied that critical state initiatives and services would be halted.