Redistricting Rebellion: President Trump Vows to Oust Indiana’s Bray After Senate Defiant Vote

01/18/2026 - Indianapolis, Indiana - Hoosier Enquirer; President Donald Trump publicly promised to work to remove Indiana Senate Majority Leader Rodric Bray from his position after Bray and other state senators blocked a congressional redistricting plan that Trump supported.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Bray of betraying the Republican Party and said he would team up with conservative activist David McIntosh to defeat him, describing Bray as a “RINO” and declaring that they would “take him out.

The conflict stems from a failed effort to redraw Indiana’s U.S. House districts in a way that would have likely added two more Republican-leaning seats. The Indiana Senate voted against the plan, with a significant number of Republicans joining Democrats in opposition, despite pressure from Trump and other allies.

Who is Rodric Bray?

Rodric Bray is a Republican politician who currently serves as the President Pro Tempore of the Indiana Senate. He has represented District 37, which includes Morgan County and parts of Johnson, Owen, and Putnam counties, since 2012.

Political Career and Leadership

Bray rose quickly through the Senate ranks, becoming Majority Floor Leader in early 2018 before being selected by his caucus as President Pro Tempore later that year. In this role, he is the highest-ranking member of the Indiana Senate and is responsible for:

• Setting the legislative agenda.

• Appointing committee chairs.

• Managing the day-to-day operations of the chamber.

Background and Professional Life

• Family Legacy: He is a third-generation lawmaker.¹ His father, Richard Bray, served in the Indiana General Assembly for decades, and his grandfather, William Bray, was a U.S. Representative.

• Education: He earned a B.A. in history from Indiana University and a J.D. from the Valparaiso University School of Law.

• Occupation: Outside of the legislature, Bray is an attorney and partner at a law firm in Martinsville and manages his family's cattle farm.

Recent Conflict

Bray has recently gained national attention for his resistance to a redistricting plan supported by President Trump. He cited concerns over the democratic process and electoral stability as reasons for blocking the map changes, leading to a public rift with the President.

Would you like to know more about the specific legislation he has sponsored or his voting record on other issues?

Trump’s comments reflect broader frustration with GOP lawmakers who resisted the map changes ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, part of a larger push by the former president to influence redistricting in several states.