INDIANAPOLIS — WRTV received a statement Wednesday from the Indiana Senate Majority Communications Office saying “the votes aren’t there for redistricting.”
However, Gov. Braun pushed back on that assessment in a social media post on Wednesday, saying: "I am still having positive conversations with members of the legislature. I am confident the majority of Indiana Statehouse Republicans will support efforts to ensure fair representation in Congress for every Hoosier."
I am still having positive conversations with members of the legislature. I am confident the majority of Indiana Statehouse Republicans will support efforts to ensure fair representation in congress for every Hoosier.
— Governor Mike Braun (@GovBraun) October 22, 2025
On Tuesday, Governor Mike Braun was at Caterpillar's Large Engine Center in Lafayette, where he took questions about the possibility of calling a special session to address mid-decade redistricting.
"On that particular topic, we've been talking about it for at least a couple of months and my key was to make sure there was going to be buy-in broadly throughout the legislature," Braun said. "You can see that the White House has been in a few times to try to make their case, and I think we're going to get there. There would be a point beyond which it wouldn't work."
The White House has been pushing Indiana and other states to undergo mid-cycle congressional redistricting to improve Republicans' chances in next year's midterm elections.
On Friday, state Republican lawmakers took part in a phone call with President Trump to discuss redistricting.
It was only the latest in a series of high-level Republican meetings about redistricting in Indiana:
- October 10: Vice President JD Vance met with Governor Mike Braun (second meeting)
- August 26: Trump met with House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Pro Tem Bray at the White House
- August 7: Vance's first meeting with Braun and legislative leaders
Democrats, advocacy groups respond
In response to news reports that Indiana Senate Republicans do not have the votes to pursue mid-decade redistricting, House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement:
"Nobody is asking for redistricting. Instead, Hoosiers are asking their elected leaders to fix their high utility bills, property taxes and absurd health care costs. House Democrats have received massive amounts of calls against redistricting, and I'm sure the Senate Republicans have, too.
I'll continue to monitor the possibility of redistricting until we end the 2026 legislative session in March."
Megan Robertson, Executive Director of Indiana Conservation Voters, also responded to Wednesday's news:
"Today's news from the Indiana Senate is proof that Hoosiers are being heard. Lawmakers are standing strong against political pressure from Washington. It's clear they care deeply about our state and are putting Hoosiers first. That's something we can all be proud of.
We are grateful to members of the Senate who have listened to what Hoosiers across the state are saying loud and clear: mid-decade redistricting is unnecessary, unpopular and unfair.
"We hope Governor Braun will embrace this opportunity to show the same kind of leadership, working with lawmakers to address real issues impacting families, like rising energy bills, property taxes and the cost of living."
WRTV has reached out to the governor's office for comment.
