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Democrats blast Indiana Republican lawmakers for White House visit amid redistricting push

91.7 WVXU | By
Published August 26, 2025 at 2:12 PM EDT
Shelli Yoder stands at a lectern speaking into a bank of microphones. Attached to the front of the lectern is a sign that reads Sayonara Sellouts Indiana Supermajority. The sign is styled like a travel postcard, with a picture of the White House in the background and an airplane silhouette across it. Yoder is a White woman with blonde hair wearing a dark blue suit over a white collared shirt. Sheila Klinker is a White woman with brown hair. She is wearing a long red jacket over a black top with a lot of dangling jewelry. She is holding a sign with multi-colored letters that read People Over Party.
Brandon Smith
/
IPB News
Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) spoke to reporters at the Indianapolis Airport on Aug. 26, 2025 as Republican state lawmakers headed to the White House amid a push from the Trump administration for Indiana to redraw its congressional districts. Behind Yoder is Rep. Sheila Klinker (D-Lafayette).

Indiana Democrats say Republicans trying to redraw the state’s congressional map are “greedy cheaters” dismantling the bedrock principles of democracy.

Democrats rallied at the Indianapolis Airport Tuesday as Republican members of the legislature headed to the White House for a visit .

Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) said GOP lawmakers aren’t going to Washington, D.C. to help Hoosiers.

“No, they are abandoning them to help a billionaire from New York silence their votes,” Yoder said.

President Donald Trump of trying to cheat to help Republicans keep control of the U.S. House in next year’s elections. Rep. Mitch Gore (D-Indianapolis) said people shouldn’t be surprised.

“Donald Trump cheats at everything,” Gore said. “He cheats on his taxes; he cheats contractors and workers out of their pay. He cheats people out of charitable contributions. He cheats at golf; he cheats on his wives.”

Trump initiated the current push to in multiple states when he urged Texas Republicans to redistrict in a bid to pick up five seats that Trump reportedly said the GOP was entitled to.

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If Republicans redraw Indiana’s congressional districts to try to oust the state’s two Democratic congressmen, Democrats say legal action will follow. Gore said that’s because redrawing the map will require carving up communities of color.

“Diluting their power, their representation, their ability to fight for schools, health care, housing and justice,” Gore said.

Indiana Republican leaders have so far been noncommittal on redistricting.

Sen. Andrea Hunley (D-Indianapolis) called on Republican legislators to forgo pay if a special session is called.

“And at a time when our state budget is already crunched, this is so irresponsible to ask our taxpayers to foot the bill,” Hunley said.

A special session would likely cost taxpayers between $150,000 and $250,000.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at .
Tags
Politics IndianaDaily ViewRedistricting
Brandon Smith has covered the Statehouse for Indiana Public Broadcasting for more than a decade, spanning three governors and a dozen legislative sessions. He's also the host of Indiana Week in Review, a weekly political and policy discussion program seen and heard across the state. He previously worked at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri and WSPY in Plano, Illinois. His first job in radio was in another state capitol - Jefferson City, Missouri - as a reporter for three stations around the Show-Me State.