New poll finds majority of Hoosiers oppose redistricting

The majority of Hoosiers oppose redrawing Indiana's congressional maps, according to a new poll. 

The survey of 800 voters, done by the Virginia-based polling firm Bellwether Research, found that 43% of Hoosiers would be less likely to vote for their legislator if that person voted for redistricting. 

The results are in line with similar polls released in the past month. A poll from October found a majority of Hoosiers opposed redistricting and had low opinions of Gov. Mike Braun and of the direction the state is headed. 

Christine Matthews is the president and founder of Bellwether Research. She said respondents were more concerned about affordability than redistricting. 

"Voters in Indiana want state legislators to focus on cost of living, things that make their lives better, and they don't think this political redistricting idea is going to do anything to make their lives better," said Matthews. 

Matthews warned that of the voters opposed to redistricting, nearly half were strongly opposed, while of those who were in favor, only about a quarter were strongly in favor. 

"So if I were a state legislator, I would not be worried about where I stood on redistricting in terms of backlash," she said. "I would be worried about not doing enough for voters in their real lives."

Matthews said Indiana Republicans had a 90% favorable view of Donald Trump. But only 37% saw opposition to redistricting as betraying the president. 

"What's notable is 90% of Republicans have a favorable view of Trump, [but] that doesn't carry over to their feelings on this particular issue," Matthews said. "A state legislator, looking at like, what is this going to do for me? Well, there's more downside than upside."

Contact Health Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org.