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Indiana is somewhat moderate but is being pulled to the extremes by each side primarily on a national level. It’s going to take some moderate Republicans to stand firm against the Trump administration as democrats’ opposition will simply be dismissed as politics. I had hoped Senator Young might be one to do so but unfortunately that’s not happened at all.
Good points, including Young’s apparent unwillingness or inability to stand up to some of the far-right action.
Young like most moderate Republicans is afraid of Trump and Trump’s threats to derail his career as a politician. Instead of listening to his constituents, he is jumping through the hoops for the biggest hypocrite of them all. Trump spent four years decrying how the 2020 election was rigged, and now he is pushing for redistricting so the next election will be rigged.
Perhaps foolishly, I thought Senator Young might not succumb to the far right. I think he’s in a good position to continue his career as Senator even if the MAGAs find someone (like Micah) to run against him in the primary. Perhaps the Lugar defeat is still fresh in his mind. But one would think these politicians would start worrying at least somewhat about their legacy.
It’s always amusing to watch groups like ReCenter Indiana reinvent themselves after their original plan fizzles out. When they first started, they branded themselves as a centrist PAC, sprinkled in some bipartisan seasoning, and hoped Hoosiers would buy it. Now, having realized they couldn’t gain traction by playing both sides, they’re suddenly pivoting to “voter education” and “polling.” Translation: the endorsements didn’t move the needle, so they’re going to try a softer form of influence.
There’s an old quote worth remembering: “Any organization not explicitly and constitutionally right-wing will sooner or later become left-wing.” Universities are the perfect case study, places that were once rooted in faith and tradition have drifted so far left they’ve turned into social engineering labs. Why? Because once Democrats or progressives get their hands on the steering wheel, they don’t just take a ride, they rip out the GPS, lock the doors, and decide no one else is allowed to drive.
ReCenter is starting to smell the same way. First it was endorsements, including checks to Democrats like Destiny Wells. Now they’re hiring Jocelyn Vare, formerly head of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, to run their “nonpartisan” shop. That’s not bipartisanship, that’s capture. To pretend otherwise is like saying the fox is just helping the farmer conduct a survey of chickens.
Let’s also be honest: when Democrats say they’re just interested in “process” or “voter engagement,” it usually ends with more Democrats in power. Look at how “nonpartisan redistricting commissions” in blue states always seem to mysteriously favor Democrats. Or how “neutral” nonprofits somehow always align with progressive policy priorities. It’s political sleight of hand: distract the voter with talk about fairness while quietly moving the goalposts.
Hoosiers aren’t buying it. The state’s maps are, by their own admission, “near-perfect.” The GOP holds supermajorities because Indiana voters, despite all the purple talk, are overwhelmingly conservative when it comes time to cast a ballot. If ReCenter really believed in representing voters, they’d respect that reality instead of trying to triangulate their way into relevance.
In short, this looks less like a rebirth and more like a salvage operation. When a group shifts from explicit endorsements to abstract “research” and “education,” it’s usually because they’ve lost the actual political battle and are trying to sneak in through the side door.
Or to put it humorously: this isn’t centrism, it’s just progressivism wearing a Halloween costume.
Don, the congressional maps are 9 of 11 republican or 82% but Indiana voting is no more than 60/40. That’s not “near perfect” and I don’t know who admits to that. Granted, the gerrymandering is not as bad as Illinois, but it’s there if you look closely. Ds have supported an independent commission to establish districts that republicans have opposed. One way to build congressional districts is to start with MSAs and build out from there. However, Indiana’s 7th district is packed with the Indianapolis D areas and the remaining MSA for the Indy area is purposely split between 4 congressional districts to dilute the purple areas.
Mike, I appreciate your perspective, and I don’t disagree that gerrymandering exists. But the reality is that until all states agree to stop distorting the process, it would be reckless for us to unilaterally disarm. As it stands, states like Illinois, New York, and Maryland have drawn maps that maximize Democratic advantage, and if we don’t counterbalance that, we essentially hand over control without a fight.
Indiana’s maps may not be perfect, but they reflect the same principal Democrats use elsewhere: protect representation where you can, given the national stakes. If an independent commission system were truly universal, applied fairly, and adopted across the country, it might provide a workable solution. Until then, however, it’s imperative that we use the tools available to ensure our voters and values are not drowned out by states where the maps are drawn even more aggressively in the opposite direction.
In other words, gerrymandering isn’t ideal but it’s the current battlefield. And like it or not, stepping off the field while the other side keeps playing doesn’t create fairness, it just creates surrender.