Table of Contents
- Trump’s Direct Call to Indiana Senators
- What Trump Wants: Eliminating Democratic Districts
- Inside the Private Call: Polls, Promises, and Pushback
- Trump’s National Redistricting Strategy
- Democratic Countermeasures and Legal Risks
- Sources
Trump Pressures Indiana Lawmakers to Redraw Maps
In a bold move to cement Republican dominance ahead of the 2026 midterms, President Donald Trump personally called Indiana Republican state senators on Friday morning, urging them to redraw the state’s congressional district boundaries—a tactic that has ignited fresh debate over gerrymandering and electoral fairness.
The call is the latest escalation in Trump’s nationwide redistricting campaign, which aims to lock in GOP control of the U.S. House by eliminating competitive or Democratic-held districts in Republican-led states.
What Trump Wants: A 9-0 Republican Delegation
Currently, Indiana’s nine congressional seats include two held by Democrats: the 1st District (Rep. Frank J. Mrvan) and the 7th District (Rep. André Carson). Trump’s proposal would redraw both districts to ensure Republicans win all nine seats—a clean sweep that would significantly boost the party’s national House majority.
According to three sources familiar with the call, Trump framed the effort as essential to protecting his administration’s agenda. “If Democrats take the House, everything we’ve built disappears,” he reportedly warned.
Inside the Private Call: Polls, Promises, and Pushback
The president spoke uninterrupted for nearly 10 minutes, reminding senators of his strong support in Indiana and offering endorsements to those who back the redistricting push. Notably, he made no direct threats—but the implicit message was clear: loyalty will be rewarded, resistance noted.
At the end of the call, White House staff conducted a real-time dial-in poll: senators were asked to press “1” if they supported redistricting, “2” if they opposed it. The results were not disclosed publicly.
Despite Trump’s pitch, resistance remains. Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, a Republican, has reportedly blocked efforts to call a special session to approve new maps. One GOP senator on the call acknowledged that while the conversation was “cordial,” it was unlikely to sway opponents.
Trump’s National Redistricting Strategy
Indiana is just one front in a broader campaign. Texas has already enacted new maps that could deliver up to five additional Republican seats. Missouri’s GOP-led legislature signed a new map into law (though it faces legal challenges), and North Carolina Republicans recently unveiled a proposal to add another safe GOP district.
“Thank you to North Carolina’s incredible Republican State Legislators, who just introduced a new, fair, and improved, Congressional Map,” Trump posted on social media Friday night—using language critics say masks partisan gerrymandering as “fairness.”
Other states like Nebraska and Kansas are also weighing similar moves, signaling a coordinated national effort to reshape the electoral map before 2026.
Democratic Response and Legal Risks
Democrats are fighting back. In California, voters will soon decide on a new congressional map that could net Democrats up to five additional seats. Nationally, civil rights groups warn that aggressive gerrymandering could violate the Voting Rights Act, particularly if minority representation is diluted.
Legal experts note that while states have wide latitude in redistricting, courts have struck down extreme partisan maps in recent years—most notably in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
As the battle heats up, Indiana’s decision could become a bellwether for how far Trump is willing to go—and how much state Republicans are willing to follow.
