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In a surprising action, Hoosier State GOP legislators rejected a proposal to redistrict the state's congressional map on Thursday. This decision marks a clear rejection of former President Trump and wider GOP-led attempts to gerrymander electoral districts to favor Republican candidates.

The Vote

The bill failed by a tally of 19 to 31. A sizable group of 21 GOP senators voted alongside 10 Democrats to reject the new redistricting plan.

Currently, GOP representatives represent 7 of Indiana's nine congressional seats. The defeated map was designed to favor GOP-leaning districts in every single one of the congressional seats. This was intended to be done through multiple key changes:

• Carving up the liberal base of the state capital into 4 different districts.
• Attaching segments of the city's electorate to nearby solidly Republican districts.
• Breaking up the north-western congressional district, currently represented by Democrat Frank Mrvan, into 2 separate areas.

Key Holdout

State Senator Greg Goode (R), a crucial Republican holdout, rejected the map. In a detailed address to the chamber, he stated that his position represented the will of his constituents.

"I'm a Christian first and foremost, then an American, then a conservative, then a member of the GOP – in that sequence," he stated. "I'm confident that my vote aligns with the desire of my people."

Broader Battle

This push in Indiana took place during a country-wide push by Donald Trump to shape the redrawing of district lines to secure more Republican House seats before next year's midterm elections. The GOP currently maintain a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and are widely expected to shed seats in the upcoming election.

In other states, Republicans in Texas, the Tar Heel State, and Missouri have each passed maps to benefit their party. At the same time, Democrats have responded by redrawing districts in places such as California to potentially add several Democratic seats. Democrats in Virginia are also ready to redraw maps for Democratic gain.

Trump's Campaign

The former president engaged in a intense campaign to lobby Hoosier Republicans to approve the map. Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly traveled to the state capitol multiple times to meet with lawmakers.

In a statement on his Truth Social, the former president voiced his displeasure on Wednesday evening. "All other state has done Redistricting, willingly, transparently, and easily. There was no doubt in their minds that contributing to a victory in the midterms for the Republican Party was a positive thing to do for our party, and for America itself," he posted. "Unfortunately, Indiana's Senate Leader Rod Bray enjoys being the only person in the United States who is against Republicans gaining additional seats, in Indiana's case, 2 of them."

Pressure Tactics

In the lead-up to the vote, some Indiana GOP senators reportedly faced threats of violence and swatting attempts. Additionally, Vice President J.D. Vance and Donald Trump Jr. openly targeted Senator Rod Bray before the Thursday vote.

The advocacy group Heritage Action, the advocacy arm of the right-leaning Heritage Foundation, also issued a statement, claiming on Thursday that the state would forfeit federal funding if it did not pass the map. Their statement suggested that key infrastructure initiatives and services would be halted.