* The vote was 19 in favor to 31 against. Indianapolis Star…
The Indiana Senate rejected mid-decade redistricting today, capping off a bitter state fight for control of Congress that has divided the GOP, spurred violent threats and dramatically changed the political landscape ahead of the midterm elections.
The failure will likely be seen by President Donald Trump and his allies as a rebuke of his vision for cementing a congressional majority at all costs. Several groups have promised to spend top dollar on unseating those who oppose redistricting, setting the stage for a messy primary if the Senate did not pass the bill.
* The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Mike Gaskill (R-Pendleton) warned members during his closing arguments about this threat…
Transcript…
And then I tell you, I believe what Washington DC says, whether it’s right or whether it’s wrong, consider this is going to be important to you as all of us, when they take away all the money that they can take away from this state and not give it to us, our citizens will be harmed. Our duty is not to be here to harm our citizens. Our duty is to be here to help our citizens. And if we don’t get that money, especially the block grant education money, we will be harmed.
* Sen. Gaskill regarding Republican primary threats from the president and his cohorts…
I know what’s about to happen to some of my friends in this chamber. You can believe it or not. You can believe it or not, but when they come into your districts, and I’m not lying, with $2-3 million, I know you’ll try your best. You’ll do what you can. But I believe in the end, most of you won’t be here anymore, and that takes courage to give up your seat when you don’t want to help, or, I’ll take that back, when you have an opportunity to help your country.
Just two of the threats…
Bray voted “No.”
* This post will likely be updated. Gov. Pritzker has said he would push to remap Illinois’ congressional districts if Indiana changed theirs.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Dec 11, 25 @ 3:56 pm:
A solidly Red legislature eating itself alive and being blackmailed out of federal funding and we’re not even a year into this presidency. The future of MAGA is looking wild.
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, Dec 11, 25 @ 3:57 pm:
- And then I tell you, I believe what Washington DC says, whether it’s right or whether it’s wrong, consider this is going to be important to you as all of us, when they take away all the money that they can take away from this state -
I may not be anyone of great importance in this world, but I d@*n sure know I’m not a coward like this. Good on the 21 GOP Senators that called the obvious bluff.
- JoanP - Thursday, Dec 11, 25 @ 4:01 pm:
Sen. Gaskill wants to cave in to blackmail. He can have a chapter in “Profiles in Cowardice”.
- I-55 Fanatic - Thursday, Dec 11, 25 @ 4:05 pm:
Feeling proud of the Indiana GOP is a weird feeling. First time for everything, I guess.
If you’re Pritzker, you’ve gotta be relieved to see it going this way. Cramming through a remap in the Spring would be a Herculean task.