President Donald Trump slammed GOP state lawmakers in Indiana on Sunday for not pursuing redistricting efforts and pushed for Republicans who oppose redistricting to lose their seats.
In a post to Truth Social, the president said he was “very disappointed in Indiana State Senate Republicans,” specifically calling out Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray and state Sen. Greg Goode.
“Because of these two politically correct type ‘gentlemen,’ and a few others, they could be depriving Republicans of a Majority in the House, A VERY BIG DEAL!” Trump said in the post.
Indiana is one of the latest states to grapple with redistricting after Texas’ push launched a tit-for-tat mid-decade redistricting battle in state legislatures across the country. Lawmakers from both parties have sought to redraw congressional lines to favor their party’s candidates ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Earlier this month in California, voters approved a redistricting measure that was championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who pushed it as a response to Texas’ new map.
In the post, Trump said that Republicans who vote against redistricting efforts should face primary challenges. He said the Indiana lawmakers should “do their job” or “let’s get them out of office, ASAP.”
Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Goode noted that the state senator said earlier this month that “that he would not take a public stance unless and until he saw an officially introduced map and legislation on the floor of the State Senate.”
“He respectfully maintains that position,” said spokesperson Lance Gideon.
Trump’s post comes days after Bray, the state GOP Senate leader, announced that the chamber did not have enough support to pursue redistricting efforts.
“Over the last several months, Senate Republicans have given very serious and thoughtful consideration to the concept of redrawing our state’s congressional maps,” Bray said in a statement Friday. “Today, I’m announcing there are not enough votes to move that idea forward, and the Senate will not reconvene in December.”
Bray’s announcement came despite pressure from the Trump administration to make Indiana the next Republican-led state to enact new congressional maps to favor GOP candidates in the midterms. Trump has called legislators and Vice President JD Vance has visited the state to discuss redistricting.
Trump also criticized GOP Gov. Mike Braun, saying in his post that the governor “perhaps, is not working the way he should to get the necessary Votes.”
Braun previously called a special legislative session in October for lawmakers to consider redistricting efforts. On Friday, the governor again pushed for redistricting, saying, “Our state senators need to do the right thing and show up to vote for fair maps.”
Representatives for Braun and Bray didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Jane C. Timm contributed.