PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: Indiana Democrats are warning of a potential redistricting battle as Republicans consider redrawing congressional district maps ahead of the 2026 midterms.
WHO WAS INVOLVED: State Representative Matt Pierce, Vice President J.D. Vance, Governor Mike Braun (R-IN), Congressman Frank Mrvan (D-IN), and other state and national political figures.
WHEN & WHERE: Indiana, with discussions and meetings taking place this week, including a visit from Vice President Vance to Indianapolis.
KEY QUOTE: “I’m sounding the alarm because Democrats in Indiana are in a knife fight to preserve democracy, and we better start acting like it.” – Matt Pierce
IMPACT: The potential redistricting could reshape Indiana’s congressional delegation, targeting competitive districts and sparking broader national debates on gerrymandering.
IN FULL
Indiana State Representative Matt Pierce (D) says that Democrats in the state are in a “knife fight to preserve democracy” as Republicans consider redrawing congressional districts. The threat comes as Vice President J.D. Vance is set to visit Indianapolis this week to meet with Governor Mike Braun (R-IN) to discuss redistricting.
A redrawn Indiana congressional map could potentially target Democratic-leaning seats like the state’s 1st Congressional District, currently held by Congressman Frank Mrvan (D-IN), as Republicans work to solidify their 7-2 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation.
Pierce alleges that Vance is being sent by President Donald J. Trump to push Braun into calling a special session to implement “Texas-style gerrymandering.” In a Facebook video, Pierce stated, “I’m sounding the alarm because Democrats in Indiana are in a knife fight to preserve democracy, and we better start acting like it.” The Indiana Democrat continued, alleging Republicans want to “steal away seats from Democrats because they know they can’t win this election with their failed policies that harm the middle class and then give all the benefits to the wealthy.”
A spokesman for Indiana House Democrats revealed that efforts are underway to mobilize public opposition, including calls to representatives and a sit-in protest. However, Indiana’s legislative rules do not require a quorum for Republicans to pass a redistricting bill, removing a tactic used by Texas Democrats to delay similar efforts.
Governor Braun described his discussions with Vance as “exploratory” with “no commitments” yet. Meanwhile, Democrats in other states like California and Illinois are also considering retaliatory redistricting efforts to counter Republican moves in states like Texas, Missouri, and Florida. Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) has called for legislation to ban partisan gerrymandering and mid-decade redistricting, emphasizing the need for competitive districts to improve Congress.
Image by Indiana Public Media.
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