(AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A fierce debate over redistricting in Indiana took an intense turn this week when President Donald Trump publicly warned state lawmakers of severe consequences. The exchange has become the latest flashpoint in ongoing battles over gerrymandering.
Pressure from the White House
On Thursday, the conservative Heritage Foundation’s advocacy arm, Heritage Action, reposted what it described as Trump’s ultimatum to Indiana officials. “President Trump has made it clear to Indiana leaders: if the Indiana Senate fails to pass the map, all federal funding will be stripped from the state,” wrote Heritage Action on X, adding:
Roads will not be paved. Guard bases will close. Major projects will stop. These are the stakes and every NO vote will be to blame.
Trump has been urging the deep-red state to redraw its Congressional boundaries to eliminate Democratic-held seats. The Indiana Senate initially rejected the proposal but revived the effort after Trump’s warnings. His previous push in Texas resulted in a GOP-favored map, which then prompted California to reconsider its own districts to favor Democrats.
“If Republicans will not do what is necessary to save our Country, they will eventually lose everything to the Democrats. Rod Bray and his friends won’t be in Politics for long, and I will do everything within my power to make sure that they will not hurt the Republican Party, and our Country, again. One of my favorite States, Indiana, will be the only State in the Union to turn the Republican Party down!” wrote Trump in a lengthy post on Wednesday.
State Senator Rod Bray is among those opposing the mid-decade redistricting plan, a rare move typically reserved for post-census adjustments.
Numerous commentators, including several high-profile conservative voices, publicly expressed astonishment at Heritage Action’s decision to share such a stark threat.
The post ‘Roads Will Not Be Paved’: GOP Think Tank Says Trump Will Cut Off All Funding to Red State Unless It Passes New Map first appeared on Mediaite.
