INDIANAPOLIS — Today, Indiana Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) joined U.S. Representatives Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.) and André Carson (D-Ind.), State Representative Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington), and Pastor David Greene at the Indiana Statehouse to speak out against a proposed redistricting effort backed by  President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.

The event came as Vice President J.D. Vance visited Indiana to promote new efforts to redraw the state’s congressional map, a move Democrats say is nothing more than a blatant power grab.

“They’re not afraid of Democrats. They’re afraid of the people. Of you. Because the people remember the lies. They remember the promises. And they’re ready to take their power back,” said Yoder.

Yoder emphasized that this issue transcends party labels.

“If you’re a Republican who believes your vote should count—they’re cheating you,” Yoder said. “If you’re an Independent who believes in fair government—they’re cheating you. If you’re a Democrat who’s tired of being gerrymandered out of existence—they’re cheating you. This is not about right or left. This is about rigging the system to stay in power after the people no longer support you.”

She framed Indiana as a key battleground in a broader national fight to defend democratic norms and voting rights.

“Trump told you he’d fight for working families,” Yoder said. “But in his big beautiful bill, he gutted health insurance for working people, slashed food programs for children and increased taxes on non-wealthy Americans—all while giving tax break handouts for billionaires to buy yachts. And now he wants a second chance. Not by earning your vote, but by cheating you so your vote doesn’t matter.”

“What they do here, they’ll do everywhere,” Yoder said. “They’re testing how quiet you’ll be. But Indiana is the firewall. This is where we draw the line.”

Yoder ended with a warning to national Republicans and a call to action for Hoosiers:

“You can lie. You can cheat. You can redraw every district in this state,” she said. “But you will never redraw the truth. And you will never erase the people of Indiana.”