INDIANAPOLIS—State Senator Andrea Hunley (D-Indianapolis) expressed dismay that the General Assembly will consider rigging Indiana’s congressional maps to appease the Trump Administration.
“We have a standing process rooted in precedent where we update our maps to reflect changes in the census,” said Hunley. “There is no new data. If we illegitimately change our maps now for one man, where does that end?”
Hunley went on to say that the intentional targeting of diverse communities by the gerrymandering plot needs to be called out.
“We know that any new maps would work to diminish the voices of people throughout our state, especially Black and Brown voters,” said Hunley. “This is a racist power grab to silence voters who look like me, plain and simple.”
Congressional Districts one and seven include Lake and Marion counties, the two most diverse counties in the state, and Hunley stressed that any new map would rob these communities of the fair representation they are entitled to.
“This is no different than redlining or putting interstates through our communities,” said Hunley. “Our ancestors met the moment time and time again; it is our turn to do the same.”
Hunley reiterated that she is committed to pursuing every legal avenue to stop the map-rigging scheme and guarantee fair representation for Hoosiers throughout Indiana.
“As a sixth-generation Hoosier, raising seventh-generation Hoosiers, I refuse to stand idly by and see my daughters inherit a world where we have lost hard-fought progress,” said Hunley.
With the majority of Hoosiers opposed to the idea of Indiana’s state legislature stealing congressional seats at the command of the White House, Hunley is confident that people will not only show up throughout the special session process, but hold their elected officials accountable when the time comes.
“We have seen thousands of people show up time and time again demanding that their elected officials remember that their job is to serve Hoosiers,” said Hunley. “These folks will not forget if their state representatives, their state senators and their Governor sell them out for political favor with the president.”
