Indiana Senate Rejects Trump-Backed Gerrymandering Map in Surprise Vote

The Indiana Senate has rejected a controversial congressional redistricting plan. The vote happened on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. The proposal was heavily supported by President Donald Trump and state House Republicans.

Its defeat is a significant political setback. It blocks an effort to give Republicans a potential 9-0 sweep of the state’s U.S. House seats. According to Reuters, the vote represents a rare intra-party rebuke of Trump’s influence.

Defeat Follows Intense White House Pressure Campaign

The final vote was 31 to 19 against the map. More than half of the chamber’s Republican senators joined all ten Democrats in opposition. This occurred despite a months-long pressure campaign from the White House targeting holdouts.

President Trump had publicly threatened to support primary challengers against dissenting Republicans. He called out several state senators by name on social media before the vote. After the defeat, Trump told reporters the new map “would have been nice” but downplayed his personal involvement.

He expressed hope that Senate leader Rodric Bray would lose his next primary. Trump stated Bray “done a great disservice.” The map had already passed the Indiana state House the previous week.

Broader National Redistricting Battle Takes a Hit

The proposed map would have reconfigured districts represented by Democrats. A key change involved carving Indianapolis into four separate districts. Democrats argued this tactic, known as gerrymandering, would disadvantage minority voters.

Some Republican supporters used dramatic language during the floor debate. One sponsor suggested the “second U.S. Civil War has already begun.” In contrast, Republican Senator Spencer Deery argued that manipulating districts undermined voter choice and the constitutional republic.

This Indiana vote disrupts a nationwide redistricting push ignited by Trump. Earlier in 2025, he successfully urged Texas Republicans to redraw their map. Democrats in California responded with their own aggressive remap, approved by voters in November.

The failure of the Indiana redistricting plan underscores a growing resistance to partisan map manipulation. It leaves the national political landscape more fluid heading into the critical midterm elections where control of Congress is at stake.

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What was the Indiana Senate voting on?

They voted on a new congressional district map for the state. The plan aimed to give Republicans a major advantage in all nine U.S. House seats from Indiana.

Why was this map considered controversial?

Critics said it was an extreme gerrymander. It specifically targeted Democratic-held districts by splitting Indianapolis, the state’s largest city, into four pieces to dilute urban and minority votes.

What does this mean for the 2026 midterm elections?

Democrats must flip only three House seats nationally to regain the majority. This Indiana vote prevents Republicans from locking in two additional safe seats, keeping more districts competitive.

Has this happened in other states?

Yes. Trump’s push also stalled in Kansas due to Republican reluctance. Meanwhile, Democrats in Maryland are internally divided over advancing a new, partisan map of their own.

How did Republican senators justify voting against their party’s plan?

Some, like Senator Spencer Deery, argued it was wrong to predetermine election outcomes. They stated that voters, not lawmakers, should decide representation through fair elections.