Indiana Senate expected to vote on new congressional maps Thursday

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WDRB) — The Indiana Senate is set to vote Thursday on drawing new congressional maps.

After passing the House last week, the redistricting bill had its second reading in the Senate Wednesday, where three amendments were offered by Democrats and all failed to pass.

Republican Sen. Michael Crider (District 28) is the majority whip, tasked with keeping members of his caucus voting with leadership.

"Most of us have made a decision on what we are going to do," Crider said. "A lot of the tactics have been used; threats to my home ... was supposed to be fire bombed and shoot everybody in the house."

But as the Senate heads into the one of the more high-profile votes, Crider is taking a hands-off approach.

"Trying to convince anybody one way or another. I would say that Senator Bray has been pretty much allowing each legislator to come to their own conclusions," Crider said.

The proposed congressional map puts southern Indiana into a district that includes the eastside of Indianapolis, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"All of us are trying to do the job we are supposed to do as it relates to our state and our constituents, and I'm hoping that when everything is over and done with that we can move forward with a lot of other things that the state needs," Republican Sen. Dan Dernulc (District 1), said.

A change to congressional maps typically occurs once a decade after the census, but President Donald Trump has pushed Republican-led states to create more GOP-leaning districts. Texas, Missouri, Ohio and North Carolina have followed suit, while Democrats in California and Virginia have moved to draw their own favorable maps.

Members of both the Indiana House and Senate have heard and felt the pressures from Washington, D.C. and activists in Indianapolis.

"We are simply here for Hoosier values of fairness and to be represented by our actual elected officials," Judy Wilson, a demonstrator against the proposed congressional districts, said. "Why are they betraying us, why are they stabbing us in the back when they know there is a critical mass of Hoosiers that do not want this?"

Moving forward may prove to be more difficult than it sounds as the pressure from the White House to change the maps is being met by pressures and threats.

"When you get bullied and threatened, if that tactic works, then you can expect to deal with that for the rest of your political career," Crider said.

The Senate will begin its session Thursday at 1:30 p.m. to vote.

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