Indiana Republican leaders said Tuesday that the state legislature would reconvene in December to consider redrawing the state’s congressional map, a reversal amid pressure from President Donald Trump.
State House Speaker Todd Huston (R) said the chamber’s Republicans will gavel in on Dec. 1 to consider “all legislative business,” including “redrawing the state’s congressional map.”
Shortly after his announcement, state Senate president pro tempore Rodric Bray (R) said the Senate will reconvene on Dec. 8 to “make a final decision … on any redistricting proposal sent from the House.” The step marked a sharp a turnaround from earlier this month, when Bray said there were not enough votes to move forward with redrawing the map, “and the Senate will not reconvene in December.”
While it was not clear Tuesday whether the Trump-backed push would have the support to succeed, the change in plans was the latest turn in a nationwide fight between Republicans and Democrats to redraw U.S. House maps ahead of next year’s midterm elections. A Trump-supported effort to add seats favoring the GOP in Texas set off the scramble, which has involved court fights, a statewide ballot measure and intense partisan showdowns in many states….
