President Trump and Vice President Vance on Tuesday met with a delegation of Indiana state GOP lawmakers as the White House pushes for the Hoosier State to undertake a redistricting effort that could net the party additional House seats.
Dozens of Indiana Republicans met with White House officials in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, with Vance joining for part of those discussions, a source confirmed to The Hill.
Politico first reported that Trump met privately in the Oval Office with Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Rodric Bray.
State Rep. Jim Lucas (R) told the IndyStar that he was “not as opposed to” redistricting as he had been before the meeting.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the meeting.
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Tuesday’s meeting had been on the calendar for weeks after White House officials invited Indiana lawmakers to the nation’s capital amid some resistance about redrawing congressional maps in the state.
The White House has urged Republican states to move forward with redistricting efforts, following in the footsteps of Texas.
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But a handful of Indiana state Republicans have expressed reservations about doing so, arguing that it would set a problematic precedent and could lead to backlash against the party.
Republicans control 70 out of 100 seats in the state House and 40 out of 50 seats in the state Senate, meaning a sizable number of GOP lawmakers would need to oppose the effort to block it.
Some Trump allies have raised the prospect of backing primary challengers for Indiana state lawmakers who do not fall in line, an indication the White House is using its full political might to get the Hoosier State on board with redistricting efforts.
The Texas state Senate last week signed off on a new congressional map that would give Republicans five additional seats, sending the legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to sign into law ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Texas’ efforts have set off a chain reaction of other states eyeing plans to draw new maps ahead of the midterms, including California, Ohio, New York and Missouri.
