In a classic case of putting personal offense above party priorities, Indiana State Senator Mike Bohacek has declared war on Trump-backed redistricting efforts, all because President Donald Trump’s use of the word “retarded” in a fiery immigration rant struck a nerve.
Bohacek, whose daughter has Down syndrome, took to Facebook to announce he’d vote “NO” on any redistricting push until Trump proves his “policies and behavior deserve a congressional majority.”
His offense over the word could help to derail a golden opportunity for Republicans to solidify their House majority ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Bohacek’s outrage is in response to Trump’s late-night Thanksgiving post on Truth Social, where he blasted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, as “seriously retarded” amid a broader takedown of Biden-era immigration policies.
Trump highlighted issues like Somali migrant influx in Minnesota and a recent deadly shooting by an Afghan migrant near the White House, vowing “reverse migration” to fix the mess.
The Indiana politician responded in a post on Facebook, writing:
Many of you have asked my position on redistricting. I have been an unapologetic advocate for people with intellectual disabilities since the birth of my second daughter. Those of you that don’t know me or my family might not know that my daughter has Down Syndrome. This is not the first time our president has used these insulting and derogatory references and 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.
While Trump’s blunt language may have upset some people, Bohacek’s tantrum is potentially sabotaging Indiana’s chance to redraw congressional maps in a way that favors the party he claims to be part of.
Naturally, the comments on his post were flooded with Democrats supporting his use of a personal grievance to screw over his fellow Republicans.
Mediaite reports:
His break comes at a tense moment for Indiana Republicans, who are weighing whether to redraw the state’s congressional map just four years after completing the once-a-decade process. Trump has been urging GOP-led states to reengineer districts ahead of the 2026 midterms, hoping to secure a House majority that his advisers warn could slip away.
The pressure has grown unusually direct. House Speaker Mike Johnson is set to hold a Saturday conference call with Indiana House Republicans after insisting publicly he had no role in state-level efforts. Johnson has already phoned Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, whose caucus remains divided on whether to proceed.
Even with national figures leaning in, the Senate appears short of the votes needed, multiple Republicans familiar with the count told Politico Friday.
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