Republican whose child has Down syndrome opposes redistricting after Trump’s ableist slur

An Indiana Republican lawmaker whose child has Down syndrome has promised to oppose efforts to redraw the state’s congressional map to favor his party after Donald Trump aimed a slur for people with intellectual disabilities at a political opponent.Michael Bohacek, a member of Indiana’s state senate, wrote Friday on Facebook that he has been “an unapologetic advocate for people with intellectual disabilities” since one of his daughters was born with Down. Referring to how the president used an ableist slur to insult Tim Walz, the Democratic Minnesota governor, a day earlier, Bohacek’s post added, “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.”Bohacek’s opposition to Trump comes after the latter’s administration has applied pressure on Republican lawmakers in Indiana to redraw the boundaries of their congressional districts. The goal would be to gain Republicans more US House seats as their party tries to retain control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.Indiana legislators are scheduled to weigh such a partisan redistricting measure later in December. But leaders of the state’s senate have cautioned that there is not enough support in the legislative chamber to enact a congressional redistricting plan.Trump in mid-November called for there to be primary election challenges mounted for any Republican state senator in Indiana who “votes against this important redistricting, potentially having an impact on America itself”.“They … should DO THEIR JOB, AND DO IT NOW!” Trump’s Truth Social post said. “If not, let’s get them out of office.”Since Trump’s post, at least nine Republican officials in the state have experienced swatting attacks, which involves fake emergency calls in the hopes of drawing a heavily armed law enforcement response to homes, according to NBC News. State senator Jean Leising, a Republican, said she was the target of a pipe bomb threat on Saturday. “This is a result of the DC political pundits for redistricting,” she wrote on X, alongside a photo of herself that said she wouldn’t cave on her opposition to redistricting.Mike Braun, Indiana’s governor, who supports redistricting, said he too had received threats. “Enough is enough,” he wrote on X. “These threats to lawmakers, including those received by me and my family in recent days, need to stop.”Bohacek pledged to defy Trump’s wishes after a separate Truth post from the president. In that one, written after two national guard members were shot in Washington DC, Trump said he would “permanently pause” all immigration from “third world countries”, invoking Minnesota’s Somali community while insulting Walz as “seriously retarded”.Many Facebook users who replied to Bohacek’s post thanked him for taking a stand against Trump, though some lamented that it took something hitting so close to home for him to oppose the president.“You should care about people even when it hasn’t affected you and your immediate family,” read one typical reply. “I’m glad at least you do understand it now. And thank you for your current stance.”Bohacek has served in Indiana’s senate since November 2016, when Trump won his first presidency.Indiana is one of several states where the US’s two major political parties are grappling with whether to embark on partisan redistricting.Meanwhile, in August, Texas approved new congressional maps meant to help Republicans add as many as five seats in the 2026 midterms. California in November responded by passing a redistricting measure meant to allow Democrats to gain the same number of seats.Quick GuideContact us about this storyShowThe best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know.If you have something to share on this subject, you can contact us confidentially using the following methods.Secure Messaging in the Guardian appThe Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said.If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select ‘Secure Messaging’. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and postIf you can safely use the Tor network without being observed or monitored, you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform.Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. Illustration: Guardian Design / Rich Cousins