Indianapolis —
Republicans in Indiana have for months been hearing conflicting messages: Demands to join the nationwide redistricting arms race from President Donald Trump’s administration and his allies – and nearly unanimous opposition to the idea from their constituents, even in deep-red districts that back the president.
Groups pushing for redistricting funded TV ads, texts, videos and robocalls demanding that state senators redraw US House maps to create one or two more Republican-friendly seats. One state senator reported “extremely negative” messages going out across her district, including to her 14-year-old grandson.
That push hit a wall on Friday.
Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray announced there weren’t enough votes in his chamber, even with a GOP supermajority, to return in December for a special session to consider redistricting.
What became clear in the lead-up to Bray’s announcement was that the pressure campaign launched by Trump’s allies — including the Club for Growth and Fair Maps Indiana, a newly formed group staffed by former Trump aides and led by veteran Indiana Republican operative Marty Obst — hadn’t helpe
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