Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has officially called lawmakers back to the Statehouse for a special session to redraw the Hoosier State’s congressional maps mid-decade, as requested by President Donald Trump’s administration.
It’s expected to start Nov. 3, according to the proclamation Braun plans to sign Oct. 27.
“I am calling a special legislative session to protect Hoosiers from efforts in other states that seek to diminish their voice in Washington and ensure their representation in Congress is fair,” Braun said in a news release Oct. 27.
Indiana follows other red states, including Texas and Missouri, which have already made changes to their maps to make more favorable maps for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Republicans already hold seven of the state’s nine congressional districts, or 77%. Fewer than 60% of Indiana voters chose a Republican at the top of the ticket in the 2024 presidential election.
Special session follows White House pressure campaign
The decision follows a months-long pressure campaign from the White House and allies, including two visits from Vice President JD Vance to Indianapolis on Aug. 7 and Oct. 10 to discuss redrawing Indiana’s congressional maps with state lawmakers. In late August, several dozen state lawmakers heard the pitch directly from Vance during a pre-arranged visit to Washington, DC.
While Republican lawmakers in other states appeared eager to redraw maps to help Trump, Indiana’s lawmakers have seemed more cautious and reticent, with several members telling IndyStar recently that they were either still weighing the idea or outright opposed to it. A spokesperson for Indiana Senate Republicans said the votes weren’t there to redistrict Oct. 22. However, Politico reported a majority of the caucus supported redistricting during a call with the White House on Oct. 17.
The Senate needs 25 votes to pass new maps, assuming Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith would break a tie in favor of redistricting. Only 11 senators have publicly supported the measure, and Senate Democrats are likely to vote no.
At one point, voters in various statehouse districts received calls and texts from a little-known 501c4 urging them to tell their representatives to support Trump’s push. And in September, the assassination of preeminent conservative figure and Trump-confidante Charlie Kirk, who had pushed for redistricting, intensified the ideological battle at play.
The Trump administration has encouraged Republican-led states to take up redistricting to maintain the GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, but some Democratic governors in states like California have pushed back saying they would change their state’s maps to help boost their party’s seats.
While Braun has called for state lawmakers to act, it will be up to the Indiana House and Senate on how they change the existing congressional districts that were last approved in 2021.
Initially Republican legislators who spoke publicly about redistricting were largely critical of a special session for that purpose. In recent weeks, however, more lawmakers have come out in support, and several skeptics changed their minds.
Plus, all of the GOP members representing Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives have publicly come out in support of the move.
The idea remains relatively unpopular among voters, according to a recent national survey by Common Cause. The poll of 2,000 registered voters found 60% oppose mid-decade redistricting.
How Indiana lawmakers might act
It’s not clear yet how far Republican state lawmakers are willing to go on changing the state’s congressional maps. Whatever actions are taken are likely to be met with lawsuits, experts have said, as has happened in both Texas and Missouri.
Political analysts say legislators would most likely target the 1st Congressional District in Northwest Indiana, a seat currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan. National Republicans have eyed the 1st District as a flip opportunity for years now, especially as President Donald Trump has made gains among voters in Northwest Indiana communities.
But lawmakers could also attempt to carve out the 7th Congressional District in deep blue Marion County, which has been held by U.S. Rep. André Carson since 2008. The challenge there, experts say, is spreading out strong Democratic parts of Indianapolis could make other currently safe Republican districts more competitive in future elections.
Both Mrvan and Carson have condemned any mid-decade redistricting efforts.
Contact IndyStar Statehouse reporter Kayla Dwyer at [email protected] or follow her on X@kayla_dwyer17.
Contact senior government accountability reporter Hayleigh Colombo at [email protected] or follow her on X @hayleighcolombo.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana governor calls special session to redistrict ahead of 2026
