NPR’s Steve Inskeep talks with Indiana State Consultant Andrew Eire a couple of Tuesday assembly on the White Home of Republican lawmakers from Indiana, and why he helps a mid-decade redraw of congressional maps.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
OK. Deirdre talked about my house state of Indiana, which is likely one of the states the place Republicans are speaking of redrawing congressional district traces, though they appear to be divided on that query. Dozens of Republican lawmakers from Indiana visited the White Home yesterday, and their assembly touched on redistricting. One in every of them was Republican state Consultant Andrew Eire, who represents among the outlying areas of Indianapolis, the capital. Welcome to this system, sir.
ANDREW IRELAND: Hello. Good morning. Good to be with you.
INSKEEP: Glad you are with us. Now, I simply wish to perform a little little bit of math right here. Throughout Trump’s time, the final decade or so, Indiana has been roughly a 60/40 state, about 60% Republican. In Congress, you have received 7 of 9 Republican seats already, which is far more than 60% Republican. And the concept’s to make it much more Republican, perhaps unanimously Republican. Do you actually wish to make it 9 out of 9?
IRELAND: Nicely, pay attention, I believe that there is a strategic drawback on the nationwide degree for Republicans in Congress due to, you realize, partisan gerrymandering in different states like our neighbor Illinois. And proper now we’ve got a frontrunner in our celebration that I believe has, you realize, acknowledged that, you realize, problem. And, OK, we will sit on our laurels and say that, you realize, we’ve got this map that, you realize, the Princeton Election Lab, for instance, charges as one of many least gerrymandered within the nation. Or, you realize, we will get in a battle and we will degree the enjoying subject. And I believe that is the dialog we’re having now.
INSKEEP: OK. You are making an argument, as Democrats are, that the opposite guys are doing it extra, however I wish to focus only for a second on the state of Indiana. You have been quoted as saying Democrats, quote, “don’t have any enterprise representing us in Washington.” Is {that a} factor you mentioned?
IRELAND: That is proper. And I will say that as a result of, you realize, you take a look at Indiana and the political make-up, sure, we’re 60/40. But additionally, Democrats haven’t received over the typical Hoosier in a statewide vote for greater than a decade in a single workplace. I believe that claims lots about the place the celebration is – that it not connects with the typical Hoosier voter. There’s one thing to be mentioned that we should always have congressional maps that, one, replicate the typical Hoosier voter – they do not, you realize, actually form of swing exhausting to 1 celebration or one other, however really simply swing to the essential common inside the state. After which if Democrats cannot win that, I imply, that is on Democrats and the truth that they are not specializing in insurance policies and points that matter.
INSKEEP: Though I used to be these current elections, and also you’re proper, Republicans have received huge on this period in Indiana. Earlier many years, they did higher – Democrats did higher, however Republicans are dominant now. And but it could appear that greater than 1,000,000 Hoosiers disagree with you as a result of that is the quantity that voted for Democrats for president or for governor in 2024 – properly over 1,000,000. That would come with a majority of individuals in Indianapolis, the town you characterize. Are you dismissing the needs of your personal constituents?
IRELAND: No, I am not. And I will let you know – I imply, two, take Massachusetts, for instance. It’s – additionally has 9 congressional seats. The political make-up is sort of precisely the identical, 60/40, however Democrat to Republican. However in Massachusetts, the identical for all of New England, is solely a Democrat congressional delegation. Indiana, you realize, once more, if you are going to degree the enjoying subject and we will play, you realize, by a system that actually evens out form of the partisan break up in Congress, I do not suppose there’s something then incorrect for Indiana to take the same method.
INSKEEP: I believe you can also make the case about Massachusetts, and I take into consideration that typically. For those who’re a Massachusetts Republican, it is received to be very, very irritating, but it surely sounds such as you need the identical factor for Indiana.
IRELAND: Nicely, and I will let you know this, too. I imply, candidly, I wish to see a world the place Congress steps in and does its job to rein in partisan gerrymandering. However till Congress does its job, I believe states have an obligation to actually defend the pursuits of the bulk, and specifically, you realize, in combination, the nationwide scale. And proper now, you realize, candidly, states like Indiana have form of sat by and mentioned, although Illinois is doing this, although California, Maryland, different states – that we will sit again and attempt to do it the suitable manner. And I respect that. I believe there’s one thing to be mentioned for that. However on the similar time, you may’t put your partisan – you realize, you have form of been, I believe, at a strategic drawback on a nationwide degree and actually marginalized your personal voters within the course of.
INSKEEP: You understand, I do have to say there are a selection of Democratic-led states the place they’ve put these nonpartisan processes in place. Actually, California’s one. That is what they’re now backing out of in response to the redistricting in Texas. It isn’t like Democrats have made no effort on this aspect. However I am simply considering this by way of. If Democrats ought to win one election in Indiana, which I grant is unlikely now, ought to they’ve the suitable to simply shut you out of energy without end?
IRELAND: Nicely, let me push again first on saying that – you realize, that we’ve got these nonpartisan commissions, and, sure, they’re nonpartisan in title. However I believe when you take a look at the political affiliation of the people that workers them, hardly ever are they honestly nonpartisan. However I’ll say, yeah, after all, you realize, if Democrats win elections in Indiana, then, you realize, they’re given the constitutional proper to attract maps. And once more, I’d encourage them to actually give attention to points that matter to Hoosiers. Then perhaps they might have a bit of extra luck on the poll field. However they actually have not. They’re out of contact with the typical voter, and that is why they’re within the predicament they’re in now.
INSKEEP: Indiana state Consultant Andrew Eire. It has been a pleasure speaking with you. Thanks.
IRELAND: Thanks.
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