Congressman Baird Hopes to See Voting Maps Redrawn

INDIANAPOLIS — Congressman Jim Baird said migration since 2020 makes it necessary for state lawmakers to redraw Indiana’s Congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterms.

In an interview with News 8 for All INdiana Politics, the Republican said he is not worried about putting himself at risk by potentially picking up more Democratic-leaning voters. Baird’s 4th District is the only district in the state that borders both of Indiana’s Democratic-controlled Congressional seats, Frank Mrvan’s 1st District, and André Carson’s 7th District.

“I think it’s important that we make sure that we have people represented in those districts and that they have appropriate representation,” Baird said. “And I think President Trump won Indiana the last time very well. So, we want to make sure that we have input from those voters that want to know where the country’s headed.”

Baird cited migration patterns as reason for his support of redrawing the maps. Census estimates show his district has gained more than 34,000 people since the 2020 census. Mrvan’s district has gained a little more than 6,000, and Carson’s, which consists of six of Marion County’s nine townships, has added about 2,500. State lawmakers already redraw the maps every 10 years to match the latest census data.

When News 8 asked Baird why lawmakers should not simply wait for the results of the 2030 Census, Baird replied, “I think we’ve had some migration, people migrate to other areas, and we want to make sure we have the appropriate population and that the district represents the appropriate population.”

Baird, who serves on the House Foreign Relations Committee, also weighed in on Trump’s recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to end the war in Ukraine. He said he does not believe the summit merely resulted in Putin getting a PR coup.

“I think (Trump) is very frustrated with what’s going on in Ukraine. You’ve got to keep in mind, too, that Putin is the one that attacked Ukraine,” Baird said. “And the Ukrainians, you’ve got to admire their courage and strength for putting up with this, what over three years? And they’ve been able to withstand that, and they’ve been very resourceful.”

Baird said Ukraine deserves continued U.S. support in its ongoing war with Russia. Russia seized the Crimean peninsula and the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014, and launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Trump harshly criticized U.S. support for Ukraine during the presidential campaign, but has since moderated his position. On Thursday, the Trump administration approved an $825 million arms sales that includes 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition missiles, believed to be the first major arms sale of new weapons to Ukraine since Trump returned to the Oval Office in January.

All INdiana Politics airs at 9:30 a.m. Sunday on WISH-TV.

Congressman Baird Hopes to See Voting Maps Redrawn Before ’26 Midterms  was originally published on wibc.com