Redistricting rift growing among Indiana Republicans

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, from left, House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray sit together during an event at the Statehouse on Nov. 18, 2025. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun on Tuesday issued his most overt political threat to holdout Republican senators over Congress’s anticipated redistricting, saying he would look for ways to “compel” them to act — and pledging to support primary challengers.

Braun’s rebuke came shortly after a deep divide among Senate Republicans was exposed with a typically routine vote on adjourning Tuesday’s procedural Organization Day session until January.

Votes in the Senate and House set Jan. 5 as the date lawmakers will return to the Statehouse and begin the new legislative session — not Dec. 1, as previously planned, to accommodate President Donald Trump’s desire for Republican-led states to draw more GOP-friendly U.S. House districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The Senate adjournment resolution was approved by a margin of 29-19. All 10 Democratic senators supported the resolutionwhile Republican senators were split 19-19 on whether to support Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray’s decision last week not to convene in December, on the grounds that there was too little support for congressional redistricting for it to pass the House.

The Senate’s action circumvents Braun’s call for a special legislative session scheduled to begin Nov. 3, with Braun responding Tuesday that “Now is the time for our state senators to commit to showing up for work.

“Unfortunately, Senator Rod Bray was forced to join forces with DEMOCRATS to block an effort by the growing number of America First senators who wanted to vote on passing fair maps. Now I have no choice but to explore every option at my disposal to force the State Senate to come forward and vote,” Braun said in a statement. “I will support President Trump’s efforts to recruit, approve, and fund primary challengers to Indiana senators who refuse to support fair maps.”

Braun’s office did not immediately respond to questions from the Indiana Capital Chronicle about what steps the governor might take to “compel” the Senate to act.

In a statement to the Capital Chronicle, Bray downplayed the dispute.

“Senate Republicans may have a difference of opinion on a policy issue with the governor, and that happens from time to time, but we are committed to pursuing policies that will make life better for Hoosiers, and we will continue to look for ways to collaborate with the governor,” Bray said.

Bray: redistricting “is not the right path”

Redistricting supporters wanted Indiana lawmakers to draw a map with the state’s nine Republican-friendly congressional districts. They would be based on 2020 census data, like the current maps.

These were drawn by Republicans in 2021 and maintained a 7-2 Republican majority – with Democrat Frank Mrvan holding northwest Indiana’s 1st District and Democrat Andre Carson holding the 7th District, which covers much of Indianapolis.

Bray told reporters Tuesday that redrawn maps would not “automatically guarantee nine” Republican members of Congress.

Bray said he wants to see Republicans retain the majority in the House of Representatives, but that he and other Republican senators do not favor redrawing the maps for 2021.

“I’m not sure that a number of people in our caucus, at least I’m part of that number, don’t think this is the right way to move forward, just because it’s not the right way to achieve this goal,” Bray said.

House Speaker Todd Huston said Tuesday that “House Republicans have the votes to solve this problem and we are ready to get the job done.”

Huston adjourned the House until January 5, but asked members to remain prepared for a possible return during the first two weeks of December.

“I hope that with our wonderful colleagues in the Senate, we will agree to this and then we will all come back in early December for a special session to pass new maps,” Huston told reporters. “…The situation has been fluid for some time now, and it will continue to be, I’m sure.”

Although Indiana has been among Trump’s targets for congressional redistricting since August, Huston argued that Republicans have not yet settled on a plan for a new map.

“We haven’t gotten that far,” he said. “I had a few conversations, we didn’t get that far.”

Trump reprimands senators again

Trump has used social media in recent days to chastise Bray and other Republican senators who do not support redistricting.

Trump did it again Tuesday with a message saying Braun “must produce” on redistricting.

“I won Indiana in a landslide, the most votes ever in the state – such an HONOR! A RINO State Senator, Rodric Bray, who does not care about maintaining the House majority in Washington, is the main problem,” Trump’s message said.

One senator has apparently changed his position on redistricting.

Sen. Jim Tomes, Republican of Wadesville, had been considered a “no” vote for weeks, but made clear on the Senate floor Tuesday that “when push comes to shove” he would vote “yes” in support of Trump.

Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, spoke in opposition Tuesday.

“The message from my district has been clear: They do not support mid-cycle redistricting, and so I cannot support it,” Holdman said in a statement.

The current ranking among the 40 Republican senators who have publicly taken a position on redistricting is 15 for and 10 against. Several other Republican senators declined to give their positions, with some wanting to see a proposed map first.

Braun sees redistricting fight in ‘first round’

Braun sat alongside Huston and Bray at an unrelated event a few hours before the afternoon floor sessions.

Neither legislative leaders nor the governor spoke to the few dozen people attending a pro-redistricting rally just steps away, which drew redistricting supporters Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Secretary of State Diego Morales.

Braun suggested to reporters Tuesday morning that the House could advance a redistricting bill even without senators in the Statehouse.

“The House is already publicly in favor of this, eager for them to introduce a bill that they send to the Senate,” Braun said.

Tuesday’s Senate vote also divided Republican leaders. Bray and Holdman — who serves third in leadership as majority caucus chair — voted in favor of adjourning until January, while Senate Majority Leader Chris Garten, the second-ranking leader, voted against the resolution.

Braun argued that momentum was building in Indiana’s favor alongside Trump’s redistricting efforts.

“When this decision was made by Senator Bray, it was because it was so close,” Braun said. “With all the pressure, everything that’s going to come from here, it’s only in the first inning, so we’ll see what happens.”

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