“We Need Better Candidates, Not Better Maps”
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TL;DR
- Indiana Republicans were pressured by President Trump to redraw congressional maps to achieve a 9-0 GOP delegation.
- Several Republican state senators, including Greg Walker and Spencer Deery, resisted the pressure and voted against new maps.
- Those who opposed the redistricting faced swatting incidents and primary challenges, with some losing their seats.
- Vice President J.D. Vance criticized Indiana Republicans for not gerrymandering, but subsequent election results showed their decision was wise.
- Statewide, Democratic candidates received more votes than Republicans, yet the GOP delegation maintained a 6-3 advantage due to the refusal to gerrymander.
- Examples from North Carolina and Texas illustrate how mid-decade redistricting attempts backfired for Republicans.
- Senators like Deery advocate for focusing on better candidates and ideas rather than map manipulation.