Opponents rally across
street from annual
Ronald Reagan dinner
By Sue Loughlin
Tribune-Star
About 60 people opposed to congressional redistricting in Indiana staged a rally Thursday at Dobbs Park as conservatives gathered across the street at the Red Barn for the annual Ronald Reagan dinner.
Gov. Mike Braun was to be a guest speaker at the dinner, hosted by Vigo County Pachyderm.
Indivisible Wabash Valley organized the “Take Redistricting Off the Menu” rally. Protesters stood just off Poplar Street, carrying signs, using bullhorns and chanting.
“No new maps,” they chanted, as well as, “This is what democracy looks like.”
According to Indivisible, the rally was in response to Gov. Braun and Indiana Republicans considering the possibility of redistricting Indiana mid-decade.
Democrats hold just two of Indiana’s nine congressional seats; the two are located in Marion County and the northwestern corner of Indiana near Chicago.
President Donald Trump has urged Hoosier Republicans to redraw congressional boundary lines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections in order to maintain a Republican majority.
Karina Moffett of Indivisible said Indiana is already gerrymandered to benefit Republicans. Redistricting would make it even more unfair.
“We’re hoping we can convince Gov. Braun to not cave to the [Trump] administration,” Moffett said. “We want him to know he has plenty of constituents who are against that and do not want redistricting.”
Redrawing maps to benefit Republicans mid-decade “is not democratic,” she said.
Terre Haute police provided security outside the Red Barn. Moffett said Indivisible spoke with police and expected no problems.
Another Indivisible member, Rex Gambill, said he wants the governor to know “the majority of people in Indiana are opposed to this illegal redistricting that he is trying to get done.”
Terre Haute City Council member Todd Nation attended, not only to participate, but also “to see what freedom of expression looks like in Terre Haute right now.”
He said he was glad to see the presence of Terre Haute police. “I’m sure that’s comforting” to those attending the Republican dinner, he said.
As far as the prospect of redistricting, Nation said, “I think Indiana shouldn’t be a pawn in this larger game.”
If redistricting does occur, he’s concerned “we’ll have a less representational contingent in Congress.”
Emily TeKolste, a Sister of Providence, also wanted to make her voice heard.
“As Hoosiers from across the state, we deserve to be represented in our government, and when you draw maps that block out whole groups of people, that’s not fair,” she said. “When you have to cheat to preserve your power, that’s not democracy.”
Gov. Braun recently indicated that a special session is likely to be called for November and other topics could also be addressed, according to Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Braun hinted that the state could risk its status with the Trump administration if it doesn’t comply, the Chronicle reported.
Vice President JD Vance visited the Indiana Statehouse in early August to meet with GOP leaders about redistricting, and later that month, a group of Republican lawmakers traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Vance and other federal officials about the same issue.
The Tribune-Star contacted both the governor’s press secretary and the state Republican Party about an interview with the governor prior to the event.
According to Gage Hoekstra, state Republican Party press secretary and digital director, “Unfortunately, this is a private event that members of the media have not been invited to attend. An interview will not fit into the governor’s schedule this evening.”
Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or
at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com. Follow Sue on X at @ TribStarSue.