Once a 'hard no' on redistricting, Lucas says he's rethinking position after White House meeting

Indiana Republican lawmakers visited the White House on Tuesday amid a push from President Trump for more favorable congressional districts ahead of next year's mid-term election.

Indiana state Rep. Jim Lucas (R-Seymour), who attended the meetings with “about 60 to 70” other Indiana lawmakers, previously said he’s a “hard no” on redistricting in Indiana.

Afterward, Lucas told WFIU/WTIU News, he’s rethinking his position.

Lucas said Vice President Vance spoke to the Hoosier lawmakers, arguing that redistricting is necessary because “all of these policy goals that President Trump and his administration want to enact, he has to have backing, which the Democrats will not give him.”

Lucas said he’d like to see that agenda achieved without redistricting, but he’s not sure if it’s possible.

Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives passed the new voting lines in an 88-52 vote, creating five new Republican-leaning seats.

Lucas said he’s still not convinced redistricting is the right choice in Indiana. He wants to see proof of problems in states with a Democratic majority: “I want to see those states. I want to see their districts. I want to see the percentage of Republican voters, percentage of Democrat voters, and how it's laid out.”

Indiana President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, who was at the White House, said in a statement Wednesday that “all in all, I would consider the event extremely productive.”

Bray added that on issues like school choice, Medicaid reform, and election security, Indiana “is in strong alignment” with the Trump Administration.

Redistricting did come up, Bray said, but “the bulk of the afternoon” focused on other issues.