The heavy-handed push by President Donald Trump and his MAGA allies backfired with Indiana Republicans – but it hasn't forced him to back down, according to a report.
The president called on GOP legislators to redraw congressional maps in states all over the country, but Indiana Republicans — even in deep-red Trump districts — made clear to their elected representatives that they didn't want to go along with the scheme, and voters and legislators alike resented "all these social media influencers barking" at them, a local talk radio host told CNN.
"They’ll move heaven and earth to help Republicans pick up two seats in Congress, and people are saying, wait a second — you won’t do anything to help me, but you’ll do all this to help your party," said Rob Kendall, an influential conservative talk radio host on WIBC in Indianapolis. "I think that rubbed people the wrong way.”
Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray announced last week the measure lacked the votes to pass, even with a GOP supermajority, and MAGA influencers promised to primary state senators who refused to support the scheme, which Kendall said makes no sense.
“What’s the case?" he said. "You’re going to knock on the door and say, ‘You should vote this senator out because he did what his constituents wanted?’”
Vice President JD Vance visited the state twice to push the scheme, which has the backing of Gov. Mike Braun, the state Republican Party and the entire Indiana GOP congressional delegation. But state legislators said their constituents “overwhelmingly opposed” the plan – and they resented the strong-arm tactics.
“Some have even been sent via cell phone to students in my district, including my 14-year-old grandson,” said state Sen. Jean Leising, who represents a deep-red district in southeast Indiana. “These groups do not have the best interest of my rural area or the state of Indiana at heart, and their methods are completely unacceptable.”
Leising said only 6 percent of her constituents approved of redistricting, and other senators found similar legals of support, but out-of-state activists aren't ready to move on.
“I think what they’ll do is bring it up, have more discussion among the Republican senators, and I’m confident in the end they’ll convince people of the view that I have: that really, Republicans need to step up and do this,” said Club for Growth President David McIntosh. “They shouldn’t be afraid of the bad press they might get or their Democratic colleagues getting mad at them.”
Indiana GOP operative Marty Obst also said he will continue to pressure legislators with his group Fair Maps Indiana, which includes Trump 2024 senior adviser Chris LaCivita, political consultant Chip Englander and Trump advertiser John Brabender.
“It’s a shame Sen. Bray blocked the special session,” Obst said. “It’s clear he does not support President Trump’s agenda. Senators should show up and do their jobs and vote on redistricting. Like elections, decisions have consequences. I anticipate those consequences to be severe.”