Four more Republican state senators have announced their support for drawing new congressional boundaries early in Indiana.
Both Politico and the Indianapolis Business Journal have reported, citing anonymous sources, that Braun is expected to call a special session as early as Monday.
On Friday, Sens. Scott Alexander, R-Muncie; Ron Alting, R-Lafayette; Justin Busch, R-Fort Wayne; and Daryl Schmitt, R-Jasper, posted statements in support of mid-cycle redistricting sought by President Donald Trump.
That brings the number of “yes” votes to 11, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle’s tally of public statements, with five GOP senators on record as being against. The remaining 24 are undecided or haven’t made their intentions public. Legislation needs 26 votes to pass the Senate.
The new burst of public support comes after Senate GOP caucus leadership announced last week that it didn’t have the votes.
“In light of recent events, including the federal government shutdown, and after much thought and consideration, I have decided I will be supporting efforts to redistrict Indiana’s congressional districts,” Alexander said.
“President Trump and our conservative majorities are delivering real results to improve the lives of Hoosiers and strengthen our country,” he continued. “We cannot sit on the sidelines while the Democrats continue to gerrymander and deny Americans fair representation in Washington D.C. The time to take action is now.”
Alting is one of the more moderate Republicans in the caucus. He’d been quiet on redistricting until Friday.
“The ongoing federal government shutdown has convinced me I must support efforts to redraw Indiana’s congressional maps,” Alting said. “I’ve worked alongside many of our current Indiana delegation in the State Legislature before they were elected to Congress. Given the current situation in Washington, D.C., I feel an obligation to help ensure my former colleagues are working with a strong Republican majority in the US House of Representatives.”
The House Republican caucus is believed to have the votes.
Indiana’s congressional seats are split 7-2 in favor of the GOP. National Republicans want to eliminate both Democratic seats — in Indianapolis and northwest Indiana — to help ensure Trump maintains control of the U.S. House in the 2026 midterm elections.
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