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What Gov. Mike Braun said about redistricting in Indiana following meeting with JD Vance [1]
['Brittany Carloni', 'Kayla Dwyer']
Date: 2025-08-07
What Gov. Mike Braun said about redistricting in Indiana following meeting with JD Vance
Show Caption Hide Caption Texas redistricting fight could reshape 2026 midterms Texas redistricting battle may tip the balance in Congress and impact Trump’s political future, says USA TODAY's Phillip Bailey.
Gov. Mike Braun was noncommittal about the prospect of redistricting in Indiana following a meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Indiana legislative leaders at the Indiana Statehouse on Aug. 7.
When asked by reporters if the group came to a consensus on redrawing the state's congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Braun said, "We listened." He also described the conversation as "pretty good."
"It was great to meet with @VPVance today," Braun posted on X. "We discussed a number of issues, and I was pleased to highlight some of the great things happening in Indiana."
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. — Governor Mike Braun (@GovBraun) August 7, 2025
House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, both Republicans, did not answer questions shouted by reporters following the meeting with Vance. In statements shared later, both Huston and Bray avoided commenting on any future redistricting in Indiana but said they appreciated meeting with Vance.
"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, of Martinsville, said in a statement.
"We've been proud to work alongside the Trump Administration on several issues to strengthen our state and nation," Huston, of Fishers, said. "We had a meaningful discussion, heard the vice president's perspective on a number of topics, and will continue conversations as we work to advance Indiana and deliver results for Hoosiers."
Why Indiana redistricting is a topic in 2025
The push in Indiana, where Republicans already hold seven of the state's nine U.S. House seats, comes as the Trump administration is looking to Republican-led states to initiate mid-decade redistricting in order to pad the GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives prior to 2026. The party breakdown currently stands at 219 Republicans to 212 Democrats.
The effort is already underway in Republican-led Texas, where new congressional maps could give the GOP as many as five additional seats. Texas Democrats fled the state on Aug. 3 to disrupt legislative processes to approve those maps.
Political analysts say, if Gov. Mike Braun calls a special session for redistricting, Republicans could easily redraw maps in Northwest Indiana to flip the 1st Congressional District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan. That would put the state at eight Republican seats to one Democratic one.
Redrawing the 7th Congressional District in Indianapolis, held by longtime U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, to get the state to nine Republicans would pose more challenges. Any breakup of deep blue Democratic voters in Marion County could make other Republican House districts more vulnerable in future elections, analysts said.
The prospect was met with thunderous opposition from more than 100 Hoosiers who trickled into the Statehouse earlier in the morning and formed a vocal throng by the time Vance arrived.
Upon learning of his arrival on site, the protestors, organized by the nonprofit organization MADVoters, let out a chorus of booing for more than a minute straight.
This crowd has just been informed that Vance is in the building. They have been booing loudly for more than a minute.
https://t.co/UwalzBMEdU pic.twitter.com/TQHwjSYG2c — Kayla Dwyer (@kayla_dwyer17) August 7, 2025
In an environment where most GOP representatives in Congress don't hold town halls or respond to constituent calls, Carmel resident Gerrie Bonarrigo said, showing up to protest ― regardless of the numbers ― is not only a way to grab attention, but an outlet for folks who feel disempowered.
"There's nothing worse to me then feeling like you have no control over your life," she said, donning a foam statue of liberty hat. "This gives you a voice that you don't have. We need to have people see what's going on."
What's going on, in the eyes of protestors, is a form of cheating. Common Cause Indiana Executive Director Julia Vaughn called it an "obvious partisan power grab" that her organization plans to challenge in court, if it happens. State Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, called her Statehouse colleagues who might support the redistricting plan "sellouts."
State Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, said they need to do more than protest: they need to increase voter turnout, an area where Indiana ranks near or at the bottom of states. He said he'll soon announce a large voter turnout initiative in Marion County.
"This fight is not about left vs. right," he said, his voice growing hoarse from shouting. "This is a fight about right vs wrong."
After Vance left the building, U.S. Reps. Andre Carson and Frank Mrvan, of Indiana's only two Democratic congressional districts, joined protestors beneath the Statehouse rotunda to further decry talk of redistricting mid-cycle.
Both argued that the reason this is happening is because President Donald Trump, they said, doesn't want to be held accountable by the voters for unpopular policies, such as the scaling back of Medicaid and the enactment of import tariffs.
"We will not accept our state being cut and sliced and maneuvered for a wannabe king, Donald Trump," Carson said.
Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at
[email protected].
Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, curated by IndyStar politics and government reporters.
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[1] Url:
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2025/08/07/indiana-redistricting-jd-vance-visit-mike-braun-congress-elections/85556859007/
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