Indiana House returning next week to address redistricting; Senate to join Dec. 8

Minutes after the Indiana House confirmed it will return to the Statehouse next week to redistrict, Senate Republicans reversed course and will show up Dec. 8 to "make a final decision on any redistricting proposal sent from the House."

House Speaker Todd Huston said in a statement released Tuesday that "House Republicans will gavel in on Monday, Dec. 1, reconvening the 2026 regular session. All legislative business will be considered beginning next week, including redrawing the state's congressional map."

No proposed maps have been released as of midday Tuesday by legislative leaders showing how the General Assembly might accede to Trump's wish for Republican-led states to draw more GOP-friendly U.S. House districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The move presents an intra-Republican Party challenge to the state Senate, where Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray has declared too few senators are in support for redistricting to pass.

But Bray confirmed Tuesday, the chamber will convene: "The issue of redrawing Indiana's congressional maps mid-cycle has received a lot of attention and is causing strife here in our state. To resolve this issue, the Senate intends to reconvene."

Trump and Gov. Mike Braun have made political threats against recalcitrant Republican senators — and a House vote in favor of new Indiana maps could ratchet up the pressure on those senators.

Last week, the House and Senate both set Jan. 5 as the date lawmakers would start the new legislative session — not on Dec. 1, as previously planned, to take up the redistricting debate.

But Huston instructed House members to remain prepared for a possible return to the Statehouse during the first two weeks of December. He told reporters the House had enough support to pass redistricting and that it was "prepared" to act.

Redistricting supporters want Indiana lawmakers to craft a map with all nine of the state's congressional districts favoring Republicans. Those would be based on 2020 census data, like the current maps. 

Those were drawn by Republicans in 2021 and maintained a 7-2 GOP majority — with Democrat Frank Mrvan holding the 1st District in northwestern Indiana and Democrat André Carson holding the 7th District, which covers much of Indianapolis.

Trump started the national redistricting fight by pushing Texas Republicans to redraw its congressional map this summer. The pressure on Indiana Republicans has included trips in August and October by Vice President JD Vance to Indianapolis.

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