Indiana Redistricting Drama: Democrats Call For Republican No-Shows
Indiana Redistricting Drama: Democrats Call For Republican No-Shows. Indiana Rep Mitch Gore, Democrat, says “”This is all political theater,” and that Republicans ought to “Boycott The Gerrymander”
n a heated political chess match, Indiana Democrats are making an unprecedented move by urging Republican representatives to boycott an upcoming special session on redistricting. The controversy ignited when House Speaker Todd Huston announced plans to convene on December 1st for a special session called by Governor Mike Braun, prompting Democratic State Representative Mitch Gore to publicly call for Republicans to block the House quorum.
“This is all political theater,” Gore explained during a recent interview. “These members’ no votes are planned. They are allowed off the leash by the speaker because this issue is deeply unpopular across the state, but especially in their districts. So I say, if they’re really opposed, they can refuse to show up since we’re not supposed to be in anyway, and kill the bill.”
The debate centers not just on redistricting itself but on the timing and constitutionality of the session. Gore argues that convening in December breaks with 138 years of Indiana legislative tradition, citing Article 4, Section 9 of the state Constitution which states sessions shall commence in January. This unusual timing has become a rallying point for Democrats who claim they’re actually being “small-C conservative” by respecting the state’s history and founding documents.
So redistricting back on the front pages because the Speaker of the House, Todd Huston, said he’s going to call the House at the session for the special session called by Governor Mike Braun to discuss it. There’s also some tax things to discuss. It was then Rod Bray, the Senate Pro Tem, the leader of the Senate Republicans. He said, Okay, we’ll do our special session on December 8th, when he had already said we’ll wait till January. And then I see a post from State Representative Mitch Gore, Democrat, that reads, join me in calling upon Republican state representatives, and he lists a few of them there to #BoycottTheGerrymander and block a House quorum on December 1st.
To which I asked a question, are the Democrats, the Indiana Democrats, suggesting that Republicans not show up to the special session, that no vote beheld on redistricting. Is this their plan? Representative Mitch Gore reached out. He joins us on the phone right now. I appreciate you taking the time to be with us, sir.
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