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Indiana Republican Senator With Daughter Who Has Down Syndrome Will Oppose Partisan Redistricting After Trump's Ableist Slur

Indiana state senator Michael Bohacek, whose daughter has Down syndrome, announced he will vote against a Republican-led congressional redistricting plan after former President Trump used an ableist slur directed at Minnesota’s governor. Bohacek called himself an "unapologetic advocate for people with intellectual disabilities" and said the president's words have consequences. His stance comes amid pressure from Trump and allies to redraw maps to gain House seats ahead of the 2026 midterms, though Indiana senate leaders say support for a new map is not assured.

10:05 PM, 12/01/2025Politics
Indiana Republican Senator With Daughter Who Has Down Syndrome Will Oppose Partisan Redistricting After Trump's Ableist Slur

Indiana state senator Michael Bohacek, a Republican whose daughter has Down syndrome, said on Facebook that he will vote against a Republican-backed congressional redistricting plan after former President Donald Trump used an ableist slur directed at Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Bohacek wrote that he has been "an unapologetic advocate for people with intellectual disabilities" since his daughter was born with Down syndrome, and warned that "his choices of words have consequences."

"I will be voting NO on redistricting, perhaps he can use the next 10 months to convince voters that his policies and behavior deserve a congressional majority."

Why this matters

Bohacek's break with Trump comes as the former president and his allies have pressured Indiana Republicans to redraw congressional districts to increase the party's chances of winning more U.S. House seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Indiana legislators were scheduled to consider a partisan redistricting measure in December, but state senate leaders cautioned there was not yet enough support to pass a new congressional map.

Context and reaction

In mid-November, Trump urged primary challenges against any Indiana Republican state senator who "votes against this important redistricting, potentially having an impact on America itself," posting on Truth Social that they "should DO THEIR JOB, AND DO IT NOW! If not, let’s get them out of office."

Bohacek said he would defy that pressure following a separate Truth Social post in which Trump, after shootings that wounded two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., proposed a "permanent pause" on immigration from "third world countries," referenced Minnesota’s Somali community and insulted Governor Walz using a widely condemned ableist phrase.

Many people who responded to Bohacek's Facebook post thanked him for taking a stand for people with intellectual disabilities; others expressed regret that the president's comments had to hit close to home before Bohacek opposed Trump. One commenter wrote: "You should care about people even when it hasn’t affected you and your immediate family... I’m glad at least you do understand it now. And thank you for your current stance."

Broader picture

Bohacek has represented his district in the Indiana Senate since November 2016. Indiana is one of several states weighing partisan redistricting: in August, Texas approved new congressional maps aimed at helping Republicans add seats for 2026, while in November California passed a measure that could benefit Democrats. The contest over how congressional maps are drawn will shape control of the U.S. House heading into the midterms.

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Indiana Republican Senator With Daughter Who Has Down Syndrome Will Oppose Partisan Redistricting After Trump's Ableist Slur - CRBC News