Gov. Braun Optimistic Towards Redistricting Special Session

Indiana Governor Mike Braun believes more Republican Senators will get on board with a special session being called over redistricting efforts.

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Mike Braun believes it’s still likely he’ll call a special session so lawmakers can look at redrawing the state’s congressional maps.

The governor joined “The Hammer and Nigel Show” on WIBC on Wednesday. He said it feels more possible now than it did before that they’ll get Indiana Senate Republicans on board with the idea.

“I think we’re getting real close to where there’ll be enough senators that gets you to the point where you call a special session and then they’re on record to say which way they’re going to go,” said Gov. Braun.

According to a spokesperson for Senate President pro temp Rodric Bray, Indiana Republican Senators do not have the votes to call for a special session on redistricting. That announcement came Wednesday.

The White House has been in talks with Indiana Republican leaders, trying to persuade them to get redraw the state’s districts. Vice President JD Vance has made the trip to Indiana twice to discuss redistricting with Gov. Braun and others. Just last week, President Donald Trump joined in on a phone call with Indiana Senate Republicans to encourage them to get a special session called so they can look at possibly giving Republicans more U.S. House seats.

“When you come in twice, you’re giving time for them to stew on it,” Gov. Braun said about Vice President Vance.

“When you get the call from the president last Friday, that should’ve taken all the mystery out of what the White House wants to do,” he added about President Trump.

The GOP controls seven of the nine congressional seats from Indiana, making it a supermajority for Republicans for many years. Gov. Braun said it’s time to make it a clean sweep for Republicans in the Hoosier State

“Many people think that Republicans have to start fighting fire with fire,” Gov. Braun said. “I think that’s the argument that’s been sinking among the senators that the White House has been talking to.”

To Gov. Braun, this is about “evening the playing field” against heavily-gerrymandered Democratic states like California, Illinois and Massachusetts. He believes Democrats wouldn’t hesitate to do something like this if given the chance again.

“They always take it to the limit and they really can’t gerrymander further, almost throughout the country,” he said.

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