Trump Vows to Oust Indiana Senate GOP Leader Over Rejected U.S. House Map
President Donald Trump used a Saturday Truth Social post to threaten Indiana Senate Majority Leader Rodric Bray’s political career, saying he and former Indiana congressman David McIntosh will work "tirelessly" to "take out" the Republican leader after Bray’s chamber voted down a Trump‑backed congressional map. The proposed redraw, which the Indiana House had passed 57–41 with a dozen GOP defections, would have added two more right‑leaning U.S. House districts and effectively eliminated two Democratic seats, but the Senate rejected it 31–19 last month, with 21 Republicans joining 10 Democrats in opposition. Bray had repeatedly said there was not enough support in his caucus to move forward despite intense lobbying from Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who visited the state twice to press the case. Trump blasted Bray as a "total RINO" who "betrayed the Republican Party" and warned, "We’re after you Bray, like no one has ever come after you before!", while McIntosh echoed online that "Rod Bray is going down." The clash turns an internal Indiana redistricting dispute into a national‑level power struggle over how aggressively Republicans should gerrymander maps and how far a sitting president will go to punish state‑level skeptics ahead of the 2026 midterms.
📌 Key Facts
- Trump vowed on Truth Social to "take out" Indiana Senate Majority Leader Rod Bray after the state Senate rejected a congressional redistricting bill he wanted.
- The Indiana Senate voted 31–19 against the map in December, with 21 Republicans and 10 Democrats opposing a plan that would have created two more right‑leaning U.S. House districts and erased two Democratic seats.
- The Indiana House had approved the bill 57–41, including 12 Republican no votes, but Bray maintained there was insufficient Senate support despite direct pressure from Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
- Trump said he will partner with former Indiana congressman and Club for Growth co‑founder David McIntosh to defeat Bray, and McIntosh publicly agreed, saying "President Trump and I are aligned" and "Rod Bray is going down."
📊 Relevant Data
Indiana currently has 9 congressional districts, with 7 held by Republicans and 2 by Democrats.
United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana, 2026 — Ballotpedia
In 2023, Indiana's population was approximately 76.2% non-Hispanic White, 9.4% Black, 8.2% Hispanic or Latino, 2.8% Asian, and 3.4% two or more races, with the Hispanic population having increased from 6.0% in 2010 to 8.2% in 2020.
Population of Indiana 2023, by race and ethnicity — Statista
The proposed redistricting map would split Marion County (Indianapolis) across multiple districts, diluting the voting power of Black and Hispanic communities that are concentrated there, potentially reducing minority representation in Congress.
Black political power under threat in Indianapolis as GOP moves to redraw congressional maps — WFYI
Indiana Senate Republicans rejected the map due to concerns about excessive gerrymandering, constituent feedback against mid-decade changes, and potential legal challenges under state and federal laws.
Why did Republican state Senators in Indiana buck redistricting pressure from Trump? — ABC News
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time