Republicans currently hold seven of Indiana's nine U.S. House seats. Democrats represent the 1st District in northwest Indiana — held by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan — and the 7th District in Marion County, anchored by Indianapolis — held by U.S. Rep. André Carson.
The new map proposed by House Republicans would slice up those Democratic districts, diluting enough Democratic voters to keep those seats red.
The Marion County district would be split into four separate districts.
"Hoosier values matter more than DC threats and bullying," Carson wrote in a statement responding to the proposed map.
"Splicing our state's largest city — and its biggest economic driver — into four parts is ridiculous," Carson said. "It's clear these orders are coming from Washington, and they clearly don't know the first thing about our community. Hoosiers have made their voices heard and won't stand for it."
Indiana is now part of a national redistricting tug-of-war, as some Democrat and Republican led states work to pass new maps to give their party an edge heading into the midterms.
The Trump administration has for months pressured state lawmakers to change congressional maps, even threatening primary challenges against lawmakers who would not support redistricting.
Indiana House Republican leadership said they want to redistrict after seeing other states, namely Virginia, California, and Missouri, doing the same.
"Indiana is not acting in the vacuum on this," Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) told reporters following Monday's session." This is taking place all across the country."
Huston added he was pushed to act after seeing California introduce new maps.
"That had an impact on me, seeing what California did, and overwhelmingly voting for new maps there," Huston said.
Politico reported last week that U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson would speak with Indiana Republicans ahead of this week.
Huston said those conversations were "robust."
The redistricting bill now heads to committee. Huston said he expects passage could take the remainder of the week.
The state Senate initially rebutted Trump's calls, but are now expected to come in next week to review whatever passes out of the House. Multiple lawmakers say they and their families have faced anonymous threats, including bomb threats, although the motives behind those incidents aren't confirmed.
Several lawmakers reported being the victims of swatting attempts, with law enforcement called to their homes under false reports of domestic violence.
At the statehouse on Monday, hundreds of Hoosiers gathered to voice their opposition to the proposed maps. Chants of "Just Say No" and "Shame On You" could be heard periodically throughout a rally that eventually moved upstairs, where lawmakers gathered.
"I don't like somebody from Washington trying to step in and run our state," said Becky Sutton from Brownsburg, Indiana. She said she didn't get politically activated during the first Trump administration but now feels she has to.
"We don't think this is fair in any way, it's not the way to run a country," Sutton said.
Inside, as lawmakers began to discuss the map, chanting could still be heard.
Democrats tried to argue that Republicans were violating House rules by coming back into session, but were quickly overruled.
"We all took an oath to the Constitution," said Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), floor leader of the Indiana House Democratic Caucus at Monday's House session. "Are we just throwing that out the window now?"
Rep. Edward Delaney (D-Indianapolis) represents Central Indiana, which includes portions of Marion County. At the House session on Monday, Delaney said Dec. 1 was one of the lowest moments in his congressional career, which began in 2008.
"Who are these maps designed to suit?" Delaney asked. He later said he believed the proposed map was a way to reduce the voting power of racial minorities in Marion County.
The bill includes language that seems tailored to avoid lawsuits that could delay it from going into effect, including preempting any temporary restraining orders against the new districts. That language seems to be a response to efforts to block Texas from instating its maps, currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Huston, when asked about the language in Indiana's bill, said it was to get to a resolution on any court challenges as quickly as possible.
The most legitimate court challenges, political scientists say, would be to challenge racial gerrymandering. Political science professor Dr. Laura Merrifield Wilson explained that while political gerrymandering has generally been upheld by courts throughout the country, challenges to how the proposed map slices up racial diverse district might be effective.
"I think that's where these maps may not have a leg to stand on," Wilson said.
Gregory Shufeldt, a political science professor at the University of Indianapolis, said the draft map is harmful to Indiana's democracy. That's because, Shufeldt said, it would reduce competition in races, likely suppress voter turnout, and dilute the voting power of racial minorities.
"It is just bad for voters," Shufeldt said. "It's even bad for Republican voters, like this is just bad for all Hoosiers. This is just bad for democracy."