INDIANAPOLIS—Vice President JD Vance met with Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and key legislative leaders on Aug. 7 to debate altering the state’s congressional districts earlier than subsequent yr’s midterm elections.
The closed-door convention on the Indiana Statehouse included Home Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Professional Tem Rodric Bray, each Republicans.
The assembly got here amid Republican-led states’ efforts to redraw their congressional maps to protect or enlarge the GOP’s slender majority within the U.S. Home of Representatives.
The occasion happened as Texas Republicans try to redraw their congressional map. Congressional maps are usually redrawn as soon as every decade, following the nation’s census.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbot known as a particular session of the state Legislature to think about redistricting after being notified by the Division of Justice that 4 congressional districts in Houston and Dallas could be unconstitutional attributable to “racial gerrymandering.”
The districts seem to group minority voters into “coalition districts,” the place no single racial group kinds a majority, which violates the Voting Rights Act, in response to the Division of Justice.
Some Texas Democratic lawmakers have annoyed the redistricting effort by leaving the state. That ensures that the Legislature can’t obtain a quorum, the minimal variety of lawmakers required to go laws.
For Indiana to think about redistricting, Braun must name a particular session of the state Legislature.
Republicans maintain a super-majority in each chambers, which would go away Democrats powerless to dam such a transfer as their Texas colleagues are doing.
State Sen. JD Ford, a Democrat, mentioned he anticipated the Legislature to maneuver ahead with the plan.
“My gut tells me that at some point, we’re going to be in a special session to redraw those district lines,” Ford mentioned in televised remarks on Fox59.
Ford, who had taken half in a protest rally on the Statehouse on the day of the Vance assembly, added, “We want people to know that our districts are not for sale.”
The governor issued a short assertion on social media after the assembly however declined to supply particulars or trace at an final result.
“It was great to meet with @VP Vance today. We discussed a number of issues, and I was pleased to highlight some of the great things happening in Indiana,” Braun wrote.
Bray likewise declined to provide specifics of the assembly.
“I appreciated the opportunity to hear from the Vice President on a variety of issues, which we will continue to talk through in the days ahead,” Bray mentioned in a written assertion.
Huston didn’t touch upon the assembly.
Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.), considered one of two Democrats representing the state in Washington, mentioned the try was proof of the Trump administration’s failure to control successfully.
“They know that their only hope to maintain control is to pressure the Indiana General Assembly to violate the Indiana Constitution and redistrict U.S. House of Representative seats mid-decade,” Mrvan mentioned in a Might 5 assertion.
Mrvan’s First Congressional District is rated “Likely Democrat” by election analysts on the Cook dinner Political Report. Mrvan’s benefit within the district fell from 16.2 % in 2020 to eight.5 % in 2024.
Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) represents the reliably Democratic Seventh Congressional District, which incorporates Indianapolis. Cook dinner charges the seat as “Solid Democrat.”
Govs. Kathy Hochul of New York and Gavin Newsom of California, each Democrats, have mentioned they’re contemplating redistricting plans to counter the Republican effort.
Newsom mentioned on Aug. 4 that he plans to name a particular election to ask voters to permit the state Meeting to redraw district maps.
The Epoch Occasions discovered blended opinions in talking with lawmakers from these states.
New York Democratic state Sen. Jabari Brisport mentioned on Aug. 6 that he knew of no plans for “retaliatory redistricting” and mentioned he would want time to think about the matter if Hochul did name for a particular session.
California Assemblymember Lori Wilson, a Democrat, mentioned her state was contemplating the matter.
“You fight fire with fire,” Wilson instructed The Epoch Occasions on Aug. 6. “Texas is doing it—we can, too. Our leadership is saying this is on the table.”
John Haughey contributed to this report.
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