Senate to hold final vote on new maps INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A top Senate Republican on Wednesday said he can’t predict how Thursday’s vote on new Congressional maps will turn out. Senate Republicans on Wednesday defeated a trio of Democratic-backed amendments to a bill that would change Indiana’s U.S. House districts ahead of next year’s midterm elections. This means Thursday’s scheduled vote on the map would send the measure directly to Gov. Mike Braun, who has been pushing lawmakers for months to redraw the maps. Thursday’s vote brings to a close a five-month political drama in which the Trump administration has pushed Republican state lawmakers nationwide to redraw Congressional district maps to more strongly favor Republicans in 2026. Indiana lawmakers have faced especially intense pressure, with Vice President JD Vance meeting with legislative leaders in August and then with all legislative Republicans in October. President Donald Trump himself has also held conference calls with Republican lawmakers and attacked state senators on social media who have resisted his demands for new maps. All signs point to a close vote. Twenty-six votes are needed to pass legislation in the 50-seat Indiana Senate. Republicans hold 40 of those seats. As of Wednesday, 16 Senate Republicans have publicly said they favor new maps, 14 have said they oppose them, and 10 have not publicly taken a stance. Both Braun and Sen. Michael Young, R-Indianapolis, have said in recent weeks Senate Republicans are split roughly evenly on the issue, with Braun consistently expressing confidence there will be enough votes to enact new maps. Sen. Michael Crider, R-Greenfield, is the chamber’s majority whip, and as such, is responsible for counting the Republican caucus’ votes ahead of floor sessions. He told reporters Senate Republican leadership is allowing each senator to make up their own mind on the measure, and thus, is not taking a count ahead of Thursday’s vote. “(Senate President pro tempore Rod Bray) said earlier this week that we’ll all find out together, and I think that’s really the reality. We’re going to find out together tomorrow what the result is,” Crider said. “It’s going to be a pretty fascinating day.” Crider said he’s disappointed in particular by the threats lawmakers have received in recent weeks. He said he personally has received multiple threats of shootings or firebombings directed at him and his family. A former director of the Department of Natural Resources’ law enforcement division, Crider said he suspects the same group has been behind all of the threats directed against lawmakers. “I particularly dislike the idea that my wife has to think about closing the drapes and read emails that our house is going to be firebombed in the middle of the night,” Crider said. “To me, this has been really, kind of a discouraging thing that we’ve been experiencing this here in Indiana. It’s not been our style in the past, and I’m hopeful it’s not something that we deal with in the future.” Crider said he plans to vote against the proposed maps, partly because his constituents overwhelmingly have told him they’re against it, and partly because he disagrees with the intense pressure put on lawmakers. Young has spoken on the Senate floor every day this week in favor of the new maps, saying gerrymandering in Democratic-run states means Republicans have no choice but to gerrymander their own states to ensure Republican voters’ interests are represented in Congress. “The game we’re playing today is not baseball. It’s about the future of our country. I don’t mind if they put three runners on the back as long as we do the same thing. What they get to do, we get to do, and we should do it,” Young said. For their part, the Senate’s 10 Democrats plan to oppose the maps. Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, told News 8 he’s cautiously optimistic the Senate will reject the new maps. He said he’s “extremely disappointed” lawmakers have spent so much time on the topic. “Hoosiers did not ask for this. Hoosiers are asking for affordability. They are asking for better financial futures,” Qaddoura said. “They are not asking for redistricting mid-decade for D.C. to cheat its way just to secure a couple of more seats in 2026.” In the event of a tie, Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith can cast the deciding vote. Beckwith told News 8 in October he’s ready to cast a tiebreaker in favor of new maps, if necessary. The Senate is scheduled to meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. ...read more read less