Republican state Sen. Niemeyer explains his vote against Indiana redistricting plan backed by Trump
It is a decision that could have political ramifications.
INDIANAPOLIS (WLS) -- A state senator from northwest Indiana is speaking out on Friday about being part of the majority that voted on Thursday to reject a redistricting plan pushed by President Donald Trump.
It is a decision that could have political ramifications. But Republican Indiana state Sen. Rick Niemeyer said he is not worried about being primaried next year. If it happens, he will deal with it. But Niemeyer said he does not believe his "no" vote against remapping Indiana is something the voters will hold against him.
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The Indiana State Senate sent shockwaves across the political landscape Thursday with a defiant 31-19 vote against new congressional maps that Trump had been pushing for.
"The dialogue, on the other side, you know, was very strong, and was a tough decision. I've been a Republican all my life, supporting Republican principles, and it just was a tough decision to do," Niemeyer said.
Niemeyer's district includes parts of Indiana's Lake County and neighboring counties to the south. He was one of 21 state senators, out of 40, who voted against new congressional maps that would have redrawn the two Democratic-controlled districts, in blue, to be more favorable to Republicans.
"It was shocking. Not shocking just because it was defeated," said North Central College Political Science Professor Stephen Caliendo. "But it is an overwhelmingly Republican body, and that was an overwhelmingly negative vote."
It was an effort to help Trump keep control of the U.S. House.
"I understood where the administration was coming from, and the importance of playing the game," Niemeyer said.
Niemeyer said he voted on principle, because the old maps were drawn fairly for voters in northwest Indiana, and the proposed new 1st District seemed too gerrymandered.
"They put in seven counties, about 180 miles long, and it goes to other areas of the state that doesn't fit what our community is, and we don't fit them," Niemeyer said.
ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington says new maps could have presented challenges for incumbent Republicans.
"They know where their districts are now. Why would they want to change midstream? Why would they want to go out and look for new voters to a lot of uncertainty in those new voters? They don't know who those new voters are. So, redistricting is always perilous for elected officials," Washington said.
Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Braun have threatened consequences for those who voted against the new maps. Niemeyer hopes voters will consider his long record of service.
"If they don't quite agree with me on this issue or agree I should've voted differently, I don't think they're going to use this issue to say, 'No, we're not going to vote for you anymore after all these years.' But if they do, they do. That's the process," Niemeyer said.
He says he won't lose any sleep over his vote.
"I was confident that I that I made the right decision that I needed to make for myself," Niemeyer said.
Niemeyer says with Indiana Senate Republicans split over this remap vote, he hopes it will not cause a fracture within the caucus. He also hopes that they can still work together to get things done in Indiana.
