Indiana won't go along with Trump’s gerrymander scheme—and he’s pissed

Things are really not going President Donald Trump's way.

First, he faced the embarrassing prospect of hundreds of GOP lawmakers defying his orders by voting for a bill that seeks to release the Epstein files. And now he's melting down because Indiana Republicans have refused his demand for mid-decade redistricting to rig the 2026 midterms.

No sugar-coating it: Daily Kos needs your help. Can you chip in $5 today?

"I will be strongly endorsing against any State Senator or House member from the Great State of Indiana that votes against the Republican Party, and our Nation, by not allowing for Redistricting for Congressional seats in the United States House of Representatives as every other State in our Nation is doing, Republican or Democrat," Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday. "Democrats are trying to steal our seats everywhere, and we’re not going to let this happen! This all began with the Rigged Census. We must keep the Majority at all costs. Republicans must fight back!"

Trump's rage comes after Indiana Republicans announced on Friday that they will not be holding a special session to redraw their congressional map.

“Over the last several months, Senate Republicans have given very serious and thoughtful consideration to the concept of redrawing our state’s congressional maps,” Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric 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.”

That enraged Trump, who attacked Bray and GOP state Sen. Greg Goode, who held a town hall for feedback from his constituents on whether they support the redistricting effort.

"Very disappointed in Indiana State Senate Republicans, led by RINO Senators Rod Bray and Greg Goode, for not wanting to redistrict their State, allowing the United States Congress to perhaps gain two more Republican seats," Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday. "The Democrats have done redistricting for years, often illegally, and all other appropriate Republican States have done it. 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!"

No billionaire backers, no paywalls. Daily Kos news exists because of YOU, our donor community. Now, we need your help. Please donate today.

His angry post led Goode to face a swatting attack at his home, which Goode said was, "unfortunate and reflective of the volatile nature of our current political environment."

"I give thanks to God that my family and I are ok,” Goode wrote in a statement.

Trump has been forcing GOP-controlled states to redraw their congressional maps in an effort to protect Republicans' slim majority in the House.

Texas was the first state to heed Dear Leader’s order, with Missouri and North Carolina following suit.

And Democrats have responded in kind, with California overwhelmingly voting to suspend the state's independent redistricting commission and redraw their maps to erase as many as five Republican seats. Democrats in Virginia are looking to follow California’s move to suspend their commission and squeeze out as many as three Republicans from the state’s congressional delegation.

With these aggressive moves, Democrats could bring Trump’s redistricting battle to a draw.

Ultimately, it's unclear whether Trump's threats against Indiana Republicans will change their calculus and move them to redistrict.

On Monday, Indiana’s GOP Gov. Mike Braun said that he spoke with Trump.

“I remain committed to standing with him on the critical issue of passing fair maps in Indiana to ensure the MAGA agenda is successful in Congress,” he wrote on X.

Of course, redrawing the state's maps to erase every Democratic lawmaker is not "fair" at all. 

But Trump is so scared of losing the House majority that he’s resorted to personally attacking members of his own party—and even risking their safety.

Click here to check out this story on DailyKos.com.

We're not asking for much

The average donation to Daily Kos has been just $9.44. These donations may seem small, but they're a big deal to us. In fact, they are our largest source of income. We literally couldn't do the work we do without them. Can you join thousands of other Daily Kos readers and help us with a donation of $9.44 right now?