Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray steps down

Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray announced on Friday, July 31, 2026, that he will not seek reelection to his leadership position when state Senate Republicans choose their leaders this November. Bray, a Republican from Martinsville who has held the post since 2018, will continue serving as president pro tempore until a successor is selected and will remain a state senator representing District 37 through 2028.

His decision follows a protracted political conflict stemming from a mid-decade congressional redistricting proposal in late 2025. President Donald Trump, along with Vice President JD Vance, Indiana Governor Mike Braun, and national conservative groups, had urged the Republican-controlled state legislature to redraw Indiana’s U.S. House district maps. The proposed changes aimed to create additional Republican-leaning districts, potentially giving the party control of all nine of Indiana’s congressional seats, up from the seven it held at the time.

Despite intense lobbying, the Indiana Senate rejected the redistricting measure on December 11, 2025, by a 31-19 vote. Bray, who had stated for weeks that the plan lacked sufficient support, joined 20 other...