Indiana lawmakers in state House to convene session with redistricting top of mind

By ISABELLA VOLMERT Associated Press Indiana House members are expected to push forward Monday with redrawing the state s congressional districts in Republicans favor increasing pressure on their defiant counterparts in the GOP-led Senate to meet President Donald Trump s demands Related Articles Melania Trump reveals White House holiday decorations and her theme Home Is Where the Heart Is Trump says he ll release MRI results but doesn t know what part of his body was scanned Trump frees fraudster just days into -year prison sentence Where the Waters Are Rough a Fishing Town Confronts Trump s Priorities In announcing pardon of drug trafficker while threatening Venezuela Trump displays contradictions Republicans who control the House chamber have announced there s no doubt that redistricting will pass that chamber But the fate of any proposal to emerge remains uncertain in the Senate Republicans also control that chamber but members of the caucus have resisted pressure to redistrict for months Senate leadership in recent weeks backed off from previous intent not to meet at all agreeing to convene next Monday But it s still unclear if enough senators will back a new map No official map or act had been made citizens by late Friday Republicans hold seven of Indiana s existing nine U S House seats Trump and other Republicans want to make the map - in the GOP s favor aiming to give the party two extra seats in the elections that will determine control the U S House Democrats only need to flip a handful of seats to overcome the Republicans current margin Indiana lawmakers have been under mounting pressure from the White House to redistrict like Republicans in Texas Ohio and North Carolina have To offset the GOP gains Democrats in California and Virginia have moved to do the same But certain Indiana Republicans have been far more resistant Republicans in the state Senate rebelled against Republican Gov Mike Braun in November and explained they would not attend a special session he ordered on redistricting The chamber s top Republican President Pro Tem Rodric Bray at the time declared the Senate did not have the votes A spokesperson for Bray s office did not respond Friday when inquired if that is still the circumstance Meanwhile Trump attacked Indiana senators on social media particularly Bray He swore to endorse primary opponents of defecting senators A spree of threats and swatting attempts were made against lawmakers who either disclosed they do not backing redistricting or have not taken a stance At least one lawmaker in favor of redistricting and Braun were also threatened Last week the House revealed plans to convene in Indianapolis on Monday All legislative business will be considered beginning next week including redrawing the state s congressional map House Speaker Todd Huston mentioned in a report Tuesday The Indiana Senate where a number of lawmakers objected to leadership s refusal to hold a vote then noted members would reconvene Dec The issue of redrawing Indiana s congressional maps mid-cycle has received a lot of attention and is causing strife here in our state Bray explained in a declaration Tuesday He explained the Senate will at last decide the matter this month Volmert broadcasted from Lansing Michigan