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In a unexpected move, Indiana GOP legislators defeated a plan to redraw the state's congressional map on Thursday afternoon. This decision marks a clear rejection of Donald Trump and wider national campaigns to alter voting maps to favor Republican office-seekers.

The Vote

The proposal failed by a vote of 19 to 31. A significant bloc of twenty-one Republican lawmakers voted alongside 10 Democrats to reject the new redistricting plan.

Currently, Republicans hold 7 of Indiana's 9 congressional seats. The proposed plan was crafted to establish Republican-leaning electorates in every single one of the congressional seats. This would have been done through several key changes:

• Carving up the liberal base of Indianapolis into 4 separate congressional areas.
• Adding slices of the city's electorate to nearby solidly GOP regions.
• Dividing the northwest congressional district, currently held by Frank Mrvan, into two separate areas.

Defecting Senator

State Sen. Greg Goode (R), a pivotal Republican defector, rejected the map. In a lengthy address to the chamber, he declared that his decision reflected the desires of his constituents.

"I am a Christian man first and foremost, then an American, then a conservative, then a Republican – in that priority," he stated. "I am convinced that my decision represents the will of my constituents."

Broader Battle

This effort in the Hoosier State took place amid a national push by Donald Trump to pressure the redistricting of district lines to create more GOP House seats ahead of next year's midterm elections. The GOP currently hold a very slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and are widely expected to shed ground in the forthcoming election.

In other states, Republicans in the Lone Star State, the Tar Heel State, and the Show-Me State have each passed maps to favor their party. Meanwhile, Democrats have retaliated by redrawing districts in states like the Golden State to potentially add several Democratic seats. Democrats in Virginia are also ready to overhaul maps for Democratic advantage.

Trump's Campaign

Donald Trump engaged in a bare-knuckled effort to influence Indiana GOP lawmakers to approve the redistricting plan. Vice President JD Vance allegedly visited the Indiana Statehouse multiple times to confer with lawmakers.

In a statement on his Truth Social, the former president voiced his frustration on Wednesday. "All other State has done Redistricting, readily, openly, and without issue. There was never a question in their mind that contributing to a victory in the Midterms for the Republican Party was a good thing to do for our party, and for America itself," he posted. "Unfortunately, Indiana Senate Leader Rod Bray seems to enjoy being the sole individual in the United States of America who is against Republicans gaining additional seats, in Indiana’s instance, two of them."

Threats and Attacks

In the lead-up to the critical vote, some Indiana GOP senators allegedly were subjected to threats of violence and swatting incidents. Additionally, VP J.D. Vance and Donald Trump Jr. publicly attacked Senate Leader Rod Bray ahead of the Thursday vote.

The advocacy group Heritage Action, the activist arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation, also issued a statement, claiming on Thursday that the state of Indiana would be stripped of federal funding if it did not pass the map. Their message implied that critical state initiatives and services would be impacted.