A new nonprofit with deep ties to President Donald Trump on Monday launched a six-figure advertising effort to back Indiana congressional redistricting efforts in the upcoming session.
“After California and what is coming in Virginia, we feel it is important that Indiana steps up and gives the party an opportunity to pick up two seats in the House,” said Marty Obst, the chair of Fair Maps Indiana. The 501(c)(4) nonprofit will target Senate districts “to educate voters and urge them to contact their Senator and urge passage of redistricting,” he said.
Gov. Mike Braun called legislators back to the Statehouse Nov. 3, but GOP leaders of the House and Senate delayed the start of redistricting work until Dec. 1.
Lawmakers will consider redrawing the state’s two blue congressional districts red ahead of the 2026 midterm elections — following a months-long pressure campaign by Trump and his administration officials for a mid-cycle flip. Hoosier Republicans currently hold a 7-2 advantage in the U.S. House, but redistricting supporters seek a 9-0 map.
The state Senate has become a potential stumbling block for redistricting proponents. While the Indiana House’s GOP leader has confirmed enough support within his caucus to pass new maps, his counterpart in the Senate has repeatedly said the votes “aren’t there.”
Obst said Fair Maps Indiana’s “grassroots” work will include constituent calls, digital and television advertising, as well as mail in targeted districts — focusing on Senate Republicans who haven’t come out with public support of redistricting.
Obst is founder and president of MO Strategies. He served in senior leadership roles in Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, and was a senior political adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence.
Others on the Fair Maps Indiana team include: Chris LaCivita, a national campaign strategist who served as senior adviser for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign; and political consultants Chip Englander and John Brabender.
Politico first reported the creation of Fair Maps Indiana, saying it is a project of Defending America’s Comeback Inc.
But Obst said funding for the new nonprofit “is not disclosed for reporting purposes. If an affiliated Super PAC is formed for primaries, then contributions will be disclosed.”
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