The Indiana General Assembly is now set to revisit redistricting in December after the state Senate unexpectedly shifted its position.
State House Speaker Todd Huston said his chamber will move ahead with a Monday session, and shortly afterward, state Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray signaled a change in plans, saying senators will return on Dec. 8 to vote on whatever map the House approves.
Only days ago, it looked as if President Donald Trump’s push to redraw Indiana’s map had stalled, with the Senate signaling it would not return in December. And although senators have now agreed to come back, the effort still depends on whether enough of them back the plan. Without those votes, the proposal cannot reach Gov. Mike Braun’s (R-IN) desk.
“The issue of redrawing Indiana’s congressional maps mid-cycle has received a lot of attention and is causing strife here in our state,” Bray wrote in a statement. “To resolve this issue, the Senate intends to reconvene as part of the regular 2026 session on Dec. 8 and make a final decision that week on any redistricting proposal sent from the House.”
Braun commended lawmakers in both chambers for agreeing to return and “convening to vote on fair maps.”
“Hoosiers deserve to have fair representation in Washington,” Braun said on social media, “and now the General Assembly needs to deliver a 9-0 map which will help level the playing field.”
Trump also weighed in on Truth Social, framing Indiana’s redistricting fight as part of a larger national battle over political power. He accused Democrats of gaming the system and argued Republicans must counter what he described as an unfair advantage. He praised the House for moving forward and urged the state Senate to “find the votes,” while warning that those who oppose the effort could face political consequences.
The governor’s push for an early return began in October, following sustained nudging from the White House and two visits by Vice President JD Vance. Even so, Bray announced on Nov. 14 that the Senate would stay home, saying he still did not have the votes to advance a new map.
Where most Republican senators stand remains unclear, though their Organization Day actions offered a hint. During the Nov. 18 proceedings, they split evenly, 19 wanting to reconvene as scheduled on Jan. 5 and 19 favoring an earlier return, underscoring how divided the caucus remains on redistricting.
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The climate around the debate has grown increasingly volatile. In the days since Organization Day, several senators have been targeted with threatening messages, and a number of them have been subjected to swatting incidents, false emergency calls that trigger a heavy police response. Braun’s office says he, too, has faced “credible threats.” A Democratic city councilmember who spoke out against the intimidation has also been threatened, underscoring how tense the atmosphere around redistricting has become.
Political pressure is also intensifying inside the GOP caucus. Lawmakers who oppose moving forward with a new map are now facing the possibility of primary challengers, a threat Trump has publicly encouraged.
