Rep. Frank Mrvan may get a return trip to Congress after all.
The first-term Indiana Democrat has a decent chance of winning reelection under congressional maps released on Tuesday by state Republicans, who control the redistricting process. Mrvan’s northwest Indiana district was thought to be endangered, with Republicans in a position to farm out its Democratic precincts to neighboring GOP lawmakers. That would have had the effect of somewhat diluting those GOP strongholds, but not enough to threaten the reelection chances of incumbent Republican House members seriously.
And with Indiana neither gaining nor losing seats, chopping up Mrvan’s district would have effectively upped the Hoosier State delegation from the current seven Republicans and two Democrats to an 8-1 split. Redistricting follows the 2020 census, a process that takes place every 10 years.
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Initial assessments of the maps suggest the proposals will not only fortify Mrvan but also first-term Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz. Spartz was elected last year to represent the state’s 5th Congressional District in a tight race. The proposal redraws the district to remove Marion County, likely protecting the freshman representative.
The map would effectively make Indiana a neutral player in the fight for a House majority. Republicans need to win about five seats to upend the majority House Democrats captured in 2018, after eight years in the minority.
The proposals must be approved through the legislative process in the state and could face changes.
In a statement, Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston said the maps “follow all statutory and constitutional requirements and reflect the population trends over the last 10 years.”
Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta said in a statement his caucus will “continue to analyze the House Republicans’ redistricting plan.”
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“While we don’t know everything about these newly drawn districts, we do know that any map drawn with the assistance of high-priced D.C. consultants, using advanced political and consumer data points, will benefit the Indiana GOP — not Hoosier voters,” GiaQuinta said.
