In a dramatic turn that sent shockwaves through both state and national politics, Indiana’s Republican-led Senate on December 11, 2025, voted 31-19 to reject a controversial congressional redistricting plan championed by President Donald Trump. The decisive vote, which saw 21 Republicans join all 10 Democratic senators in opposition, marked a rare and public rebuke of Trump’s influence within his own party—and made Indiana the first Republican-controlled legislature to defy Trump’s aggressive push for more GOP-friendly congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, according to the Associated Press and the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
For months, Trump and his allies had pressured Indiana Republicans to approve a map that would have handed the GOP all nine of the state’s congressional seats, up from the seven they currently control. The proposal would have effectively erased two Democrat-held districts by splitting Indianapolis among four sprawling, rural-anchored districts, and eliminating the northwest Indiana district currently represented by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan. The plan, crafted by the National Republican Redistricting Trust, was designed to maximize Republican gains as part of a broader national strategy to secure the party’s slim U.S. House majority in 2026.
Despite intense lobbying—including personal phone calls from Trump, three in-person meetings with Vice President JD Vance, and public threats of primary challenges from conservative groups—the Senate’s rejection was resounding. The final outcome remained in doubt until the vote, with a dozen Republican senators having not publicly committed their positions. But when the tally was announced, cheers erupted in the chamber, accompanied by shouts of “thank you!” from both lawmakers and activists. Outside, a crowd of about 100 protesters echoed their approval, chanting “Fair maps now!” and “Vote no!” as the debate raged inside.
“You have to know Hoosiers, we can’t be bullied,” Republican Sen. Sue Glick told reporters after the vote, as quoted by the Indiana Capital Chronicle. “We don’t want that. And the instant reaction is we dig in our heels and say, why?”
The defeat was a significant blow to Trump’s efforts to reshape congressional maps across the country. While states like Texas, Missouri, Ohio, and North Carolina had followed his lead, Indiana’s refusal underscored the limits of his sway—even in a state that has reliably voted Republican in recent years. Trump, attempting to downplay the setback, told reporters in the Oval Office that he “wasn’t working on it very hard,” despite the clear evidence of his personal involvement.
Governor Mike Braun, a staunch supporter of the redistricting plan, expressed his disappointment in a pointed statement: “I am very disappointed that a small group of misguided State Senators have partnered with Democrats to reject this opportunity to protect Hoosiers with fair maps and to reject the leadership of President Trump. Ultimately, decisions like this carry political consequences. I will be working with the President to challenge these people who do not represent the best interests of Hoosiers.”
The proposed map’s defeat also drew praise from some prominent Indiana Republicans who have distanced themselves from Trump. Former Governor Mitch Daniels, who has been openly critical of Trump, commended the Senate’s “courageous principled leadership,” calling the outcome “a major black eye for him and all the Washington groups that piled in, spent money, blustered and threatened.” Daniels added, “This thing rubbed our state the wrong way and Republicans in our state very wrong from the jump.”
Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, who had repeatedly warned that the redistricting plan lacked sufficient support among Republicans, shrugged off the prospect of retribution from the White House. “It’s their prerogative to have opinions about what we’re doing here. So, that’s fair,” Bray said. Asked about potential loss of federal funding or other consequences, he replied, “Indiana will continue to function.”
Several Republican senators cited overwhelming public opposition and concerns about the fairness of the process. Sen. Greg Goode, who had not announced his position before the vote, told the chamber that “overwhelming feedback” from his constituents—“regardless of political leaning, or party affiliation”—influenced his decision. “I’ve done my very best to quietly and respectfully listen to the people I represent, and I’m confident that my vote reflects the will of my constituents,” Goode said.
Sen. Greg Walker, another Republican, denounced the bill as “on its face, is unconstitutional,” emphasizing his belief that the measure would not withstand legal scrutiny. “I cannot, myself, support the bill for which there must be a legal injunction in order for it to be found constitutional,” Walker stated.
Not all Republicans were opposed. Sen. Mike Gaskill, the bill’s sponsor, used his full speaking time to argue that Indiana Republicans should “fight as hard for our side as they do,” referring to Democrats. Sen. Chris Garten called the vote “of critical, epic proportion,” urging colleagues to act as “active agents of American greats.” But these voices were ultimately outnumbered by those who saw the plan as an overreach.
The debate was not without tension, as lawmakers faced threats and intimidation throughout the process. At least a dozen legislators—including many Senate Republicans—reported being targeted in swatting attempts, bomb threats, and other acts of harassment, prompting an ongoing investigation by the Indiana State Police. State Rep. Ed Clere, who opposed the plan in the House, recounted how state troopers responded to a hoax message about a pipe bomb outside his home the night before the vote. “Words have consequences,” Clere said, attributing the threats to the “winner-take-all mentality” stoked by Trump’s pressure campaign.
Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, argued that genuine competition is vital to democracy. “Competition is healthy my friends,” Sen. Fady Qaddoura said before the vote. “Any political party on earth that cannot run and win based on the merits of its ideas is unworthy of governing.”
With the defeat of the redistricting plan, Indiana’s current congressional map—drawn by Republicans in 2021—will remain in place for at least two more years. Because a constitutional majority voted against the measure, the issue cannot be reconsidered by state lawmakers until the 2027 legislative session, according to both the Associated Press and the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Across the country, the battle over redistricting continues to rage, with both parties seeking every advantage in the run-up to the next midterm elections. But in Indiana, at least for now, the message from the Senate was clear: even the most powerful political figures can’t always bend local lawmakers to their will.
