Oh, Indiana. The heartland. Land of cornfields, basketball dreams, and — apparently — a few state senators who still haven’t figured out how political knives are sharpened in 2025.
President Donald Trump took the gloves off this weekend, delivering a not-so-subtle reality check to the Indiana GOP establishment, specifically state Senators Rod Bray and Greg Goode, who — for reasons only known to whatever consultants they’re still listening to — are dragging their feet on redrawing congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. And Trump? He’s not having it.
In a Truth Social post that landed like a thunderclap, Trump called them out by name, slapping the “RINO” label on both Bray and Goode and accusing them of sabotaging the GOP’s chances to grow its House majority. And let’s be clear: this wasn’t just another Trump rant. This was a battle cry.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 16, 2025
Trump made the case — convincingly — that Democrats have been playing the redistricting game for decades, often with shady, allegedly illegal moves that conveniently help them pad their congressional numbers. (Looking at you, California.) But when Republicans dare suggest that we might — gasp — use the exact same legal tools at our disposal to level the playing field? Suddenly, it’s pearl-clutching and procedural delay.
The former president isn’t just frustrated. He’s furious that some Republicans still haven’t learned how the game is played, and he’s putting Governor Mike Braun on notice too. You remember Braun — the guy who rode into the governor’s mansion on the back of a Trump endorsement. Trump’s not exactly seeing a return on that political investment at the moment, accusing Braun of not “working the way he should” to wrangle support in the state Senate.
It’s not like Trump’s strategy is complex: redraw the lines, gain two — count them, two — congressional seats in Indiana alone, and shore up what could be a shaky House majority in 2026. But instead of charging ahead, Bray, Goode, and their merry band of cautious centrists are hesitating. Political cowardice? Consultant whispering? Who knows — but what’s clear is that the MAGA base is watching, and they’re not going to forget who stood in the way.
And let’s talk about the broader implications. While California is allegedly scrambling to snatch five new Democratic-leaning seats — using every trick in the book — Republicans are wringing their hands about whether it’s “appropriate” to play offense. Spoiler alert: this is why the GOP has a history of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. You don’t win by folding in the first round.
Trump’s warning is plain: if you’re not helping, you’re in the way. And in Trump World — which, let’s face it, is the center of gravity for the modern Republican Party — being in the way means you’re one primary challenger away from political extinction. Just ask Thomas Massie or Marjorie Taylor Greene, both of whom have recently found themselves in the presidential crosshairs for wandering off-message.
Now, to be fair, redistricting isn’t just a switch you flip. There are processes. Legal hurdles. Political negotiations. But let’s not pretend that Democrats don’t bulldoze through all that when they smell an advantage. Republicans need to stop playing by rules the other team isn’t following. Trump’s right on this one: either GOP lawmakers start doing what needs to be done — or they can explain to voters in the primaries why they let Democrats steal a march… again.
So here we are. Trump fired the warning shot. The base is restless. Indiana’s got a chance to lead — or to become the latest cautionary tale in a long list of “what could’ve been” stories for the Republican Party. Bray and Goode might want to brush up on their campaign war chests. If they don’t act fast, they’re going to need every penny.
