Republicans in the Indiana state legislature canceled a special session called at the behest of President Donald Trump to consider drawing new maps to eliminate two Democratic Party-held House seats on Friday.
The canceled session in Indiana marks a major loss for Trump and Republicans as they push GOP-run states to engage in mid-decade redistricting in a bid to insulate their thin majority in the House from Trump’s growing unpopularity ahead of the 2026 elections.
“Over the last several months, Senate Republicans have given very serious and thoughtful consideration to the concept of redrawing our state’s congressional maps,” Indiana state Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said in a statement. “Today, I’m announcing there are not enough votes to move that idea forward, and the Senate will not reconvene in December.”
Republicans thought they could flip the only two Democratic seats in the state’s nine-member House delegation into the GOP column through redistricting. The White House ran an all-out pressure campaign on state leaders, with Vice President JD Vance visiting the state twice. And it looks like Trump world is mad.
“BREAKING: Sen Rodric Bray announces retirement,” Chris LaCivita, Trump’s 2024 co-campaign manager, posted on X following the announcement.
