Desperate to lock in GOP control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, President Donald Trump is using the power of his office to pressure officials in Indiana—where Republicans already dominate—to redraw maps to completely squeeze out Democrats.
On Friday, Trump called into a meeting of Indiana’s Senate Republican caucus push for redistricting, which comes as the White House steps up its pressure campaign to gerrymander Indiana seats.
A week ago, the White House sent Vice President JD Vance to Indiana to push Republicans to back the redistricting plot. GOP Sen. Jim Banks said in September that Indiana “could be ground zero” in deciding who controls the House.
Vice President JD Vance visiting Indiana last week to push Republicans into the White House’s redistricting plot.
The focus on Indiana would seem to indicate weakness for the GOP, as Indiana is not a tossup state by any measure. Trump easily won the state 57% to 41% in the 2020 election, and the state’s current congressional breakdown is nine Republicans and only two Democrats.
The push to redistrict also runs counter to the wishes of Indiana residents. In a recent North Star Opinion Research poll for Independent Indiana, 53% of registered Indiana voters said that they oppose redrawing congressional districts. Most of the opposition comes from Democrats at 85% and independents at 59%, but even 25% of Republicans rebuke rigging the democratic process.
The action in Indiana echoes other GOP efforts across the country to redraw districts. By using demographic data to create congressional districts favoring Republicans—even in areas where Democrats have more support—the party hopes to hold on to its slim majority.
Voters are likely to be motivated to punish Republicans for Trump’s mishandling of the economy— including tariffs that have hurt job growth—his embrace of authoritarian tactics used to oppress U.S. cities, the GOP’s government shutdown, and health care cuts in the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.”
The GOP is trying to prevent a repeat of Trump’s first, disastrous midterm election in 2018 when, still riding high on his surprise 2016 election win, Republicans were trounced from coast to coast and lost control of the House.
The Republican Party’s new philosophy is all about changing the rules, trading in democracy so they never lose.
