Vice President JD Vance is set to travel to Indiana on Friday for discussions with state leaders as the White House intensifies pressure on Republican-led states to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Multiple sources, including two Republican state senators, confirmed Vance’s meeting with lawmakers in Indianapolis. The visit occurs amid internal divisions within the GOP over a potential special session for midcycle redistricting.
President Donald Trump has urged Republican-controlled states to adjust district boundaries before the 2026 elections to secure the party’s House majority during his second term. Redistricting typically follows the decennial census. Currently, Republicans hold seven of Indiana’s nine congressional districts, with Democratic representation concentrated in the northwest and central regions.
Republican Gov. Mike Braun recently raised concerns about the redistricting initiative’s viability with the White House, according to Politico. A source described Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray as uncooperative, noting he has “poured cold water on the idea” to avoid taking responsibility for lacking support. State Sen. Sue Glick, a Republican, stated most lawmakers she spoke with lack enthusiasm for redrawing maps, citing previous efforts as “fair.”
The state Senate Republican caucus has remained quiet on the issue, while House and Senate Republicans have held closed-door discussions. Vance’s visit marks his second trip to Indiana in two months. In August, he met with Braun, Bray, and House Speaker Todd Huston to advocate for redistricting, though no concrete commitments were made. Later that month, dozens of GOP lawmakers traveled to Washington, D.C., to discuss the topic with federal officials, including a meeting between Bray, Huston, and Trump. Braun has insisted on consensus before reconvening lawmakers at the Statehouse.
