Trump’s midterm-rigging scheme hits another state

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has called a special session to redraw congressional districts, making Indiana the latest Republican-led state to act under pressure from the Trump administration to strengthen the party’s control of the House of Representatives ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

In a press release, Braun said the special session aimed to “protect Hoosiers from efforts in other states that seek to diminish their voice in Washington” and ensure that their representation in Congress “is fair.”

Still, the political ramifications are clear: A new map in Indiana could give national Republicans up to two additional seats in the House, tightening the party’s grip on his party. slim majority and strengthening President Donald Trump’s hold on Congress.

The governor’s announcement follows weeks of resistance from state Democrats and even some Republicans who were reluctant to follow. Texas, North CarolinaAnd Missouri to redraw the maps before the midterms. Those states have already completed their redistricting, potentially giving Republicans up to seven additional seats in the House — a significant change in a chamber with razor-thin margins.

In Indiana, the process could be trickier. Although the Republican Party holds supermajorities in both chambers, meaning Democrats cannot block the session. when leaving-It is not yet clear whether enough Republican state senators will support the new maps.

State Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray’s office said Wednesday that the Indiana Senate lacked the votes to pass a new congressional map, casting doubt on the success of the special session.

Braun, a staunch Trump ally who won statewide office increased by almost 19 percentage pointshad long insisted he would not recall lawmakers until legislative leaders were on board. This hesitation appears to have faded under increasing pressure from the White House.

Vice President JD Vance made two trips in Indiana this year to personally pressure Braun and legislative leaders, urging them to redraw the state’s nine districts to ensure a complete Republican victory. And Trump would have telephoned GOP state senators this month to encourage them to support the plan. This marked an important turning point pressure escalation from the White House.

Conservative groups also rallied. According to the New York Times, Indiana lawmakers were also bombarded with emails from organizations like Turning Point USA, which threatened to challenge Republicans who resisted the plan.

This pressure campaign appears to have worked. The extraordinary session will begin on November 3 and is expected last about six daysalthough legislative rules could be suspended to speed things up. The fact that Braun called the session suggests that Republicans already have the votes.

Attention now turns to what the new map might look like.

While seven of Indiana’s nine congressional districts are already solidly Republican, Trump wants all nine for the party. It’s unclear whether a new map will target one or both of Indiana’s Democratic-held districts: the 1st, in northwest Indiana, or the 7th, covering much of Indianapolis.

“This is not democracy. This is despair,” Indiana Senate Democratic Leader Shelli Yoder said in a statement to the Associated Presspledging to challenge all adopted maps in court.

Democrats in other states are implementing their own countermeasures. California voters will weigh next month, to allow the state legislature to pass a new map, which is expected to add five Democratic-leaning districts, and polls suggest the ballot measure will pass. Virginia Legislators also meet in a special session this week to consider changes that should benefit Democrats.

Earlier this year, Texas Republicans kicked off the redistricting wave, approving a map that could net their party five additional seats in the House of Representatives.

In total, almost a dozen states are now considering or have already completed a mid-cycle redistricting – an extraordinary step in what is usually a once-a-decade process.

For Braun, this decision marks a turning point from his previous caution. In August, he said he would leave redistricting decisions to legislative leaders. But with Trump turning up the heat, Indiana Republicans now appear ready to fall in line.

The governor insists the session is about fairness, and that is clearly not the case. In reality, this is another state that is bowing to Trump’s demand to tighten his grip on power, whatever the cost.