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In a unexpected action, Indiana GOP legislators rejected a proposal to redraw the state's U.S. House map on Thursday afternoon. This outcome constitutes a direct rebuke of former President Trump and wider GOP-led campaigns to reconfigure electoral maps to favor Republican office-seekers.

The Roll Call

The proposal was defeated by a vote of 19 to 31. A sizable group of twenty-one GOP senators voted alongside ten Democratic senators to defeat the controversial district maps.

Currently, GOP representatives hold 7 of Indiana's 9 congressional districts. The defeated map was designed to establish GOP-leaning districts in every single one of the congressional seats. This would have been done through multiple major changes:

• Splitting the Democratic stronghold of Indianapolis into 4 different congressional areas.
• Attaching portions of Indianapolis electorate to nearby solidly Republican districts.
• Splitting the north-western congressional district, currently represented by Frank Mrvan, into two separate areas.

Key Holdout

State Sen. Greg Goode, a key Republican defector, rejected the map. In a extended address to the chamber, he declared that his decision represented the wishes of his district.

"I'm a Christian first, then an American citizen, then a conservative thinker, then a member of the GOP – in that order," he proclaimed. "I am certain that my vote represents the desire of my constituents."

National Context

This effort in Indiana took place amid a country-wide push by Donald Trump to shape the redistricting of congressional maps to secure more Republican seats ahead of next year's midterm elections. The GOP currently hold a very slim lead in the House and are broadly expected to lose seats in the upcoming vote.

In other states, Republicans in Texas, North Carolina, and the Show-Me State have each passed districts to favor their party. Meanwhile, Democrats have responded by adjusting districts in states like California to possibly gain multiple seats. The Democratic party in Virginia are also ready to overhaul maps for party gain.

Trump's Campaign

Donald Trump engaged in a bare-knuckled push to pressure Hoosier Republicans to approve the map. Vice President J.D. Vance allegedly traveled to the state capitol multiple times to meet with state senators.

In a statement on his Truth Social, Trump voiced his displeasure on Wednesday. "Every other State has done Redistricting, readily, openly, and without issue. There was never a question in their minds that helping to secure a victory in the Midterms for the Republicans was a good thing to do for our Party, and for America itself," he wrote. "Sadly, Indiana's Senate “Leader” Rod Bray seems to enjoy being the sole individual in the United States who is opposed to Republicans gaining extra seats, in Indiana’s instance, two of them."

Hostile Climate

In the days to the vote, some Indiana GOP senators reportedly received death threats and swatting attempts. Additionally, VP J.D. Vance and Donald Trump Jr. openly criticized Senator Rod Bray ahead of the Thursday roll call.

Heritage Action, the activist arm of the conservative think tank, also issued a statement, claiming on Thursday that the state of Indiana would lose federal funding if it did not pass the redistricting plan. Their statement suggested that critical state projects and services would be halted.