Gov. Braun stated in part:

" I am calling a special legislative session to protect Hoosiers from efforts in other states that seek to diminish their voice in Washington and ensure their representation in Congress is fair. I am also asking the legislature to conform Indiana's tax code with new federal tax provisions to ensure stability and certainty for taxpayers and tax preparers for 2026 filings.”

Many lawmakers and political groups throughout the state have reacted, including in our area.

Below are their statements:

Michiana Alliance for Democracy stated:

"We, the Michiana Alliance for Democracy, stand in firm opposition to the Indiana legislature’s attempt to redraw congressional maps in a manner that disproportionately favors Republican interests. The special session called by Governor Mike Braun—under pressure from national party leaders—is a blatant effort to manipulate our democratic process for partisan gain.

Indiana’s current congressional delegation already reflects a significant imbalance: seven Republican seats to just two Democratic ones, despite the fact that fewer than 60% of Hoosiers voted Republican in the last presidential election. This proposed redistricting threatens to further erode fair representation, silencing the voices of countless Indiana voters who deserve equitable influence in Washington.

Mid-cycle redistricting, especially when driven by national political agendas, undermines the integrity of our electoral system. It circumvents the will of the people and weaponizes the legislative process to entrench power rather than serve constituents. We call on lawmakers—regardless of party affiliation—to reject this undemocratic maneuver and uphold the principles of transparency, fairness, and accountability.

We urge Hoosiers to speak out, contact their representatives, and demand a redistricting process that reflects the true diversity and values of our state. Democracy belongs to the people—not to political operatives in backroom deals.

Let this be a moment where Indiana chooses the path of integrity over expediency. We will not stand by while our democracy is carved up for partisan advantage."

Independent Indiana executive director Nathan Gotsch released the following:

“This is what happens when you don’t have competitive elections. It’s a blatant effort by the party in power to fix every single Congressional race in their favor nearly a year before a single ballot is cast.

They clearly see us — the voters — as an inconvenience they need to work around. If they truly cared about their constituents, they’d be working to fix our problems, not theirs.”

“If lawmakers want to spend a special session addressing Indiana’s elections, they should start there. Fix the rules that make it nearly impossible for independent candidates to even get on the ballot for the Congressional seats they are trying to gerrymander. End straight-ticket voting so people actually think about who they’re voting for. Those are the changes Hoosiers want — not mid-decade redistricting for purely partisan purposes.”

Indiana Conservation Voters released the following statement:

“The only people pushing for these new maps live 600 miles away in Washington, D.C. No one here wants this, and it’s disappointing that Gov. Braun caved to the pressure instead of listening to the people who live here and are facing real challenges.

For more than two months, Hoosiers have made it clear they don’t want Washington outsiders dictating how our state is represented. Thousands have sent emails and called the Governor asking him not to do this. They want lawmakers focused on issues like rising energy costs, inflation and taxes.

Our current maps are fair and competitive and were drawn just a few years ago using a transparent process. The Governor wants lawmakers to throw out their own hard work and replace it with a map that’s being crafted by political operatives in Washington, D.C.

That’s not how we do things here, and lawmakers still have a chance to do right by Hoosiers. They can keep the maps they drew four years ago and get back to focusing on issues that actually matter.”

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC:

"Since President Donald Trump first began pressuring Republicans across the country to redraw congressional maps earlier this summer, Hoosiers have made one thing clear: they do not want new maps. Gov. Braun's decision prioritizes political games over the will of the people he was elected to serve. The question is simple: Does Braun serve Hoosiers, or Washington, D.C.?

Indiana residents deserve fair and balanced representation in Congress. When the maps were redrawn in 2021, as required by the Constitution, our Republican colleagues repeatedly assured us that they were fair. So why the sudden change now? It's not because constituents demanded it – it's because President Trump and Vice President JD Vance successfully pressured them into submission. 

There's a misconception that Indiana is a solidly 'red state.' In reality, President Trump only received 58% of the vote here in 2024. Indiana is a purple state with challenges in voter turnout. Calling a special session to redraw maps will only further discourage Hoosiers from participating in elections. Reps. Frank Mrvan and Andre Carson have repeatedly earned the trust of their constituents. Yet instead of listening to local communities, Indiana Republicans are disenfranchising them.

 Hoosiers don't need new congressional maps. They need higher wages, affordable health care, accessible child care and housing and lower utility costs. These are the real issues affecting people's daily lives. Yet the governor and Republican supermajority are wasting time – and taxpayer dollars – bowing to President Trump. This isn't just disappointing, it's an embarrassment to our state. There are plenty of problems Hoosiers face every day that we could be addressing in a special session. Instead, our governor and Republican supermajority are wasting time – and your tax dollars – to bow down to President Trump. This is not only shameful, it's an embarrassment to our great state.

We urge all Hoosiers to sign the petition set up by Common Cause Indiana to make their stance on redistricting clear to lawmakers. Call your state representative, senator and Gov. Braun to share your concerns. On the first day of special session, the IBLC encourages everyone to come to the Statehouse to make their voices heard and to understand the potential impact of redistricting. 

The IBLC will stand alongside our Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate to fight this blatant power grab. Hoosiers are worth defending, and we will do everything possible to ensure congressional maps remain fair and balanced—because democracy should not be redrawn for political gain."

State Senator Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement:

“Governor Braun made the decision today to place Washington over Hoosiers. He clearly prioritized the Trump administration’s agenda instead of the needs of the people of Indiana. Let’s make this clear: he chose tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations over you. He chose to cut access to Medicaid over you. He chose to spend your hard-earned tax dollars on a special session while slashing programs you rely on. Governor Braun does not care about Hoosiers; he cares about saving face with President Trump.

Governor Braun said he would only call a special session if he had the votes. The Senate has now gone on record twice saying the votes aren’t there. When will the lies stop?”

This illegitimate session is not about fixing your utility bills, expanding access to health care or reversing cuts to child care assistance. It’s about rigging congressional maps to ensure President Trump and the Republican Party maintain control. This is a ploy to silence voters and eliminate opposition.

I strongly oppose this misuse of power and the attack on our democracy. Join me on November 3 at the Statehouse to stand up for fairness, transparency and the voice of every Hoosier.”

State Senator David Niezgodski (D–South Bend) released the following statement:

“Today’s decision to call a special session on congressional maps places Indiana among a small minority of states choosing partisan politics over people. This discussion has dragged on for months, diverting our focus in the General Assembly away from the real issues Hoosiers are facing.

I have been keenly watching this unfold from the beginning and I am certain of one thing: Hoosiers have always taken great pride in displaying their own individuality. I pray my colleagues in the majority party have their eyes fixed squarely upon the sound foundation that Indiana has been built upon, only by denying the efforts of Washington to dim our way forward will our torch continue to shine bright on the banks of the Wabash.”

State Senator Rodney Pol Jr. (D-Chesterton) released the following statement:

“To say that I am disappointed would be an understatement. This is nothing short of an attempt by those in power to silence voters, eliminate opposition and cement partisan control. It undermines the very foundation of democracy.

As a state senator, I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. Every member of this General Assembly did. Watching that oath ignored for political advantage should alarm every Hoosier.

Drawing new maps five years early just to flip two seats that were fairly representative of their districts is wrong. Hoosiers deserve fair representation, not backroom deals designed to protect political power.

Democracy belongs to the people. If we allow politicians to keep changing the rules to benefit themselves, we lose the very essence of self-government.”

State Senator Andrea Hunley (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement:

“We have a standing process rooted in precedent where we update our maps to reflect changes in the census,” said Hunley. “There is no new data. If we illegitimately change our maps now for one man, where does that end?

We know that any new maps would work to diminish the voices of people throughout our state, especially Black and Brown voters," said Hunley. "This is a racist power grab to silence voters who look like me, plain and simple.

This is no different than redlining or putting interstates through our communities. Our ancestors met the moment time and time again; it is our turn to do the same.

As a sixth-generation Hoosier, raising seventh-generation Hoosiers, I refuse to stand idly by and see my daughters inherit a world where we have lost hard-fought progress.

We have seen thousands of people show up time and time again demanding that their elected officials remember that their job is to serve Hoosiers. These folks will not forget if their state representatives, their state senators and their Governor sell them out for political favor with the president.”

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita released the following statement via X:

"Fully support @govbraun calling a special session. We've been clear from the start that redistricting should happen and are ready, once the new map gets across the finish line, to defend it in court."

State Rep. Mike Andrade (D-Munster) released the following statement:

“Despite clear opposition from Hoosiers, the Governor has officially called for a taxpayer-funded special session to redraw our congressional maps. Now, it’s up to the General Assembly to stand tall, stand strong and stand fair with Hoosiers against this pressure. I will continue to fight for my district and ensure our neighbors’ voices are heard.”

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement:

"After months of stalling, my Republican colleagues have officially broken under the pressure of the Washington establishment. The legislature will be heading into a special session to try to preemptively overturn the will of the voters before they even get the chance to cast their ballots. 

Indiana families are dealing with genuine hardships. They're facing crushing property tax bills, unaffordable health care, soaring utility cost, cuts to childcare and local services being gutted, yet state leadership's priority is to burn through taxpayer dollars to further gerrymander already gerrymandered congressional maps. Indiana democrats are already underrepresented in our congressional delegation.  

Apparently, this administration wants to silence our voices, the voice of 40% of voters that did not cast their ballot for a Republican. Hoosiers are starting to feel the impact of unkept promises and failed policies. The bottom line is, Republicans are afraid to defend their record, and they would rather turn our democracy upside down than stand on their policies that are harming our neighbors.  

I'm calling on legislators who value integrity over political gamesmanship to stand with their constituents, reject this unnecessary map-drawing exercise, and tackle the urgent fiscal and healthcare challenges facing our state.”

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement: 

"Last week, Hoosiers learned that Senate Republicans did not have the votes required to pass a blatantly rigged congressional map. After that news broke, it didn't take long for D.C. elites to swoop in and bully Republican lawmakers into bowing to their demands to put partisanship before solving Hoosiers' actual problems.

Our state government is owned by Washington, D.C., instead of the people who should actually drive its decisions: Hoosiers. Washington, D.C. is broken and dysfunctional. Why would we listen to them when Hoosiers oppose mid-decade redistricting?

If Gov. Braun and Statehouse Republicans were listening to Hoosiers, the majority of whom oppose mid-decade redistricting, we wouldn't be going into a special session. We wouldn't be wasting taxpayer dollars to redraw maps the House Republicans drew four years ago and described as 'beautiful' and perfect.' Poll after poll after poll has shown that Hoosiers do not want the General Assembly to redraw our congressional maps this year.

Hoosiers, there is still an opportunity to have your voice heard. Call or email your state representative or senator, now is the time to share your views about this.

The House and Senate still can lead with courage and common sense by rejecting the governor’s call. There is no requirement that we pass new congressional maps just because Republican Gov. Braun caved to D.C. elites. I am grateful to Hoosiers who have voiced their opposition to this scheme. Hoosiers can stop these new maps from passing.

There are massive problems in Indiana that demand leadership and action from the Statehouse, like property taxes, utility bills and health care costs. Our congressional districts are not one of them. Let’s keep the focus on Hoosiers and reject this effort from out-of-state elites to change the rules of the game at halftime.”