Redistricting the state’s voting map could make an already volatile political climate even worse, warned Northwest Indiana’s congressman.
States with a supermajority centralized on one party limits representation of the whole, District 1 U.S. Representative Frank J. Mrvan told the Panther Press in a recent interview. President Donald Trump is attempting to use redistrcting to have more Republican seats in Congress through the process of gerrymandering.
Texas and Missouri have already redrawn their congressional maps to suit a more Republican Congress, with Ohio and Florida following suit. In response, other states have begun to redistrict to balance seats in Congress, like California, which has been working toward gaining back the lost Democratic seats.
Mrvan said the state’s potential early redistricting has not yet been confirmed. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, however, would like it to happen “earlier rather than later” and thinks there is a chance the assembly will be reconvened in November, rather than its predetermined date in January.
“My feeling is it will probably happen,” Braun said during a Sept. 30 press conference at the Indiana Statehouse.
Braun later said during a live interview with WOWO News Talk 92.3 FM/1190 AM that “If we try and drag our feet as a state on it, probably, we’ll have consequences of not working with the Trump administration as tightly as we should,” but later walked back this statement in a press conference and several televised interviews.
Indiana, having a 7-2 Republican seating is a prime candidate for redistricting, as it already has a Republican majority.
However, this action is not well-favored in Northwest Indiana. Mrvan said redistricting “appears through polling to be unpopular” with his constituents, but Indiana may not have much of an option.
“If there’s any reason we shouldn’t redistrict, it would be that we have a checks and balances system that won’t allow a White House to threaten federal funds to vital services to our neighbors and to our family if they don’t get what they want politically,” Mrvan told The Panther Press. “I would hope that people would come out and vote and be motivated to make sure we had a checks and balances system in place in the legislative process, and that we continue to work towards creating work and wealth for individuals and delivering on public safety.”
With the possibility of redistricting on the horizon, what does this mean for the people of Northwest Indiana? According to Mrvan, redistricting will “disconnect [Northwest Indiana Hoosiers] with their member of Congress.” This in turn would leave Hoosier Democrats with less voting power and less representation.
And when there is less representation, there is more division.
“What I believe is that if you have all red states, and all blue states, you’re going to increase extremism,” Congressman Mrvan said.
Article in collaboration with Panther Press News/Features Editor Konilah Leflore.
