Indiana legislative leaders met privately with Trump to discuss redistricting

By ISABELLA VOLMERT Associated Press Indiana s Republican legislative leaders met privately with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office to discuss redistricting an Indiana House spokesperson established although it remains unclear if they ll join other states in trying to change congressional maps mid-cycle ahead of next year s midterms A multitude of Indiana lawmakers have expressed hesitation to Trump s push to give his party an advantage in the race for control of the U S House of Representatives Vice President JD Vance also spoke about the subject to numerous Indiana lawmakers who were in Washington D C to meet with administration administrators Several Indiana legislators came out in assistance of a mid-cycle map change following the meetings which were held as pressure mounts nationwide now that California Democrats enabled voters to decide whether to counter Republicans in Texas whose redrawn map now awaits the governor s signature I spent the day at the White House because Hoosiers deserve to be fairly represented in DC Indiana Sen Liz Brown posted on social media President Trump knows what s at stake if liberal strongholds like CA bend break and bust the rules to gerrymander their maps Members of the Indiana state provision exit the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex Tuesday Aug in Washington AP Photo Alex Brandon Spokespeople for the offices of Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray provided no details on the Tuesday meeting with Trump The lawmakers were in Washington for White House State Leadership Conference meetings between the administration and state GOP leaders The White House did not right away respond to a request for comment While redistricting did come up and members were able to ask questions we spent the bulk of our afternoon discussing issues like capacity immigration and preventing waste and fraud in governing body Bray s official report about the conference commented Bray did not comment on the meeting with Trump Typically states redraw boundaries of congressional districts every years to adjust to population changes Instead Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to change them to send five more Republicans to Congress Vice President JD Vance walks to the West Wing of the White House Tuesday Aug in Washington AP Photo Alex Brandon In response California will hold a special referendum in November so voters can decide whether to counter the Texas advantage with a map that could help Democrats win more seats Lawmakers in other states also are mulling the possibility Vance already met privately with Gov Mike Braun and legislative leaders in Indianapolis on Aug to discuss redistricting Braun a staunch Trump ally can call a special session but suggested Indiana s next move would depend on lawmakers appetites Republican state Rep Craig Haggard noted in an interview after the White House meeting that Vance s argument wasn t strong-armed and there s still no broad consensus I don t think we ll really know until we get into a session and see selected actual maps Haggard revealed Haggard disclosed that in a perfect world Indiana s maps would stay as they are but he believes the Republican party requirements to maintain House control to continue its platform I think we re going the right direction in this country commented Haggard who is challenging a longtime GOP congressman in western Indiana I agree with the vice president that we should use all legal and constitutional methods given us to make sure we win Related Articles A deadly truck crash in Florida has fueled an immigration fight Here s what to know Trump administration is investing in US rare earths in a push to break China s grip Trump s push to oust Fed s Lisa Cook unites anti-DEI effort bid to control independent institutions Emboldened Democrats are starting to push back on Trump s immigration plans Trump extends control over Washington by taking management of Union Station away from Amtrak Other Indiana Republicans have expressed opposition saying mid-cycle redistricting is costly and could backfire politically We are being urged to create a new tradition in which it would be normal for a political party to select new voters not once a decade but any time it fears the consequences of an approaching voting process state Sen Spencer Deery noted in a report Aug Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers in Indiana meaning Democrats could not stop or delay a special session by refusing to attend like their peers in Texas did Republicans also outnumber Democrats in Indiana s congressional delegation - Particular Republicans see an opportunity to gain all nine seats in the state which Trump won by percentage points in The GOP would likely target Indiana s st Congressional District a Democratic stronghold encompassing Gary and other cities near Chicago Three-term Democratic Rep Frank Mrvan won reelection in and easily retained the seat in even after Republicans redrew the district to be slightly more favorable to the GOP Republicans could also zero in on the th Congressional District composed entirely of Marion County and the Democratic stronghold of Indianapolis but they would invite more argument by slicing up Indiana s largest city and diluting Black voters influence