Indiana Republicans are mulling a plan, backed by President Trump, to redraw their congressional map to add more GOP seats ahead of next year's midterm elections.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Now let's move on to Indiana, where the state Senate meets in special session this week. Senators plan to vote on new political maps that would help Republicans capture all nine of Indiana's congressional seats.
AND MARTINEZ, GUEST:
It's the latest in an unprecedented wave of mid-cycle redistricting driven by President Trump's demands to boost his party's chances in next year's midterm elections.
FADEL: NPR Congressional Reporter Sam Greenglass joins us now from Indianapolis. Hello Sam.
SAM GRINGLAS, BYLINE: Hi, Leila.
FADEL: So many states, right? – carry out this redistricting in the middle of the cycle in a tit-for-tat manner. Why is Indiana so remarkable?
GRINGLAS: Well, first of all, it's high drama. We don't know what will happen here. Indiana is currently represented by seven Republicans and two Democrats. The proposed map would destroy these two heavily Democratic districts. Even many Republican lawmakers resisted, despite intense pressure from Trump and his allies. So if this attempt fails, it will be a huge reproach. And if it passes, Democrats could be kicked out of Indiana's delegation.
FADEL: There's a lot at stake here. You're there in Indianapolis. What do you see in the state capital?
GRINGLAS: Yesterday, hundreds of protesters holding handmade signs filled the chamber outside the Senate. The redistricting protesters chanted so loudly that senators could hear them inside the chamber. One hundred twenty-seven people signed up for the public discussion. I met one of them, Leon Bates.
LEON BATES: Franklin said democracy is a wonderful thing if you can keep it, and here we are. We may be watching it slip away right before our eyes.
GRINGLAS: Bates told me that his predominantly black community would be dismembered. The new map will divide Indianapolis into four parts, so a voter in the city could soon find themselves in a district stretching 150 miles into Kentucky.
FADEL: Wow. So remind us why this redistricting is happening now.
GRINGLAS: Usually new maps are drawn after the census, but Trump has forced Republican-run states to redraw them before the midterm elections. Selectman Gregory Cantor (ph) told lawmakers that Republicans must do everything they can to keep the House.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GREGORY CANTOR: It's a choice between a president elected by your voters 60-40, serving a full term, or one who will be a lame duck fighting endless pointless impeachments and investigations.
GRINGLAS: So now some Democratic-controlled states are trying to redistrict, too.
FADEL: Republicans now control the Indiana Legislature. So why isn't passing this new map guaranteed?
GRINGLAS: A lot of Republicans have heard from voters that they don't want this. The Senate's top Republican initially refused to hold the session, saying the votes simply weren't there, but Trump ratcheted up the pressure, even calling out undecided members by name. Some Republican senators, such as Greg Walker, have faced threats of violence. Last night he said softening his opposition would be tantamount to accepting a bribe and said the stakes for him really crystallized recently when he held a constituent's baby in his arms.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GREG WALKER: When I thought about this child's future where we accept that bullying is okay. And I will refuse the offer for the sake of this child in the future of the state.
FADEL: You can really hear the emotion in his voice. Does this new map seem likely to become law?
GRINGLAS: The map already passed through the House and Senate committee last night, but the Indiana Senate Majority Leader told us we'll all know what happens when the Senate votes later this week.
FADEL: NPR Congressional reporter Sam Greenglass is in Indianapolis. Thanks Sam.
GRINGLAS: Thank you, Leila.
© 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of Use And permissions pages in www.npr.org for more information.
The accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript may be modified to correct errors or accommodate audio updates. Audio on npr.org may be edited after it is originally broadcast or published. The authoritative recording of NPR programs is the audio recording.
