Texas Republicans are trying to redraw their state's congressional map to benefit the GOP. That's triggered some Democratically-controlled states to explore the same — and it's now spread to Republican supermajority states like Indiana.
Gov. Mike Braun said any redistricting conversation here is exploratory — and argued Indiana's maps were drawn fairly in 2021.
"We tried to adhere to township lines and the configurations don't look like an octopus," Braun said.
Braun added that because he believes the state's current district map is fair, the only reason to redraw it would be to try to oust current elected officials.
READ MORE: Independent analyses say Indiana redistricting will produce little competition
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Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) said Republicans are trying to cheat to win next year's congressional elections.
"The president, even in Indiana his approval ratings continue to sink because his policies are just not popular," Pierce said. "So, I think they feel the need to try to prop up the president and his congressional allies."
Pierce called the current debate "a knife fight for democracy."
Article 4, Section 5 of the Indiana Constitution limits redistricting of Indiana's state Senate and House maps to the year or two after the federal decennial census.
State law limits redrawing the state's congressional district lines to the first regular session of the Indiana General Assembly after a federal decennial census — though that could be more easily changed by the Republican supermajority.
Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.
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