Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray announced Friday that he will not seek reelection to the leadership position when Senate Republicans select their leaders in November. Bray and a number of Republican Indiana state senators notably defied President Donald Trump and his allies in a better redistricting fight, which ultimately prevented the GOP from gaining an extra House seat in the deep red state.
Bray, a Republican from Martinsville who has held the post since 2018, will continue serving as president pro tempore and overseeing the Senate’s day-to-day operations until a successor is chosen. He plans to remain in the Senate, where his term representing District 37 — which covers Morgan County and portions of Johnson, Owen, and Putnam counties — runs through 2028.
“Serving as the President Pro Tem of the Senate for eight years has been among the most significant honors of my life, but it’s time for the Senate to choose another leader. Our caucus has led the way in numerous policy areas, passing laws that resulted in more than 20 tax cuts, initiatives to lower the cost of health care, laws that resulted in a sharp increase in literacy rates in our schools, and measures that ushered in record capital investment through 2024,” Bray announced in a statement.
“That’s a track record I will always stand behind, and I’m incredibly proud to have accomplished this work as the Pro Tem alongside my distinguished colleagues.”
A spokesperson for Bray, Molly Swigart, explained the decision by noting promises by others to recruit and fund primary challengers against any senator who supported Bray’s continued leadership. “Given promises to recruit and fund primary challengers for any senator who supports Bray’s bid to remain the leader of the Senate,” Swigart said, “he has determined he will not put members in jeopardy from their own party simply because he is asking members to support his re-election as [Senate president pro tempore].”
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🚨New: Rodric Bray has announced he won’t seek re-election as the Indiana State Senate Republican President Pro Tempore after he clashed with President Trump over Redistricting pic.twitter.com/tOVvqOiaof
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) July 31, 2026
Bray was first elected to the Indiana Senate in 2012, succeeding his father, Richard Bray, who had held the seat. He became president pro tempore in 2018 following the retirement of David Long.
The announcement follows events related to a mid-decade congressional redistricting proposal in late 2025. President Donald Trump and other Republican figures, including Indiana Governor Mike Braun and national conservative groups, had urged the state to redraw its 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. The Indiana House passed a version of the plan, but the Senate did not.
Bray had stated in the months leading up to the vote that there were not enough supporting votes among Senate Republicans. On December 11, 2025, the Senate rejected the redistricting measure by a 31-19 vote, with 21 Republicans joining all 10 Democrats in voting against.
The stunning defeat occurred despite pressure that included meetings with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, as well as public statements from the president. Trump had criticized Bray in social media posts, describing him in various terms and indicating that those who opposed the plan could face primary challenges.
This past May, several incumbent senators who had voted against the redistricting plan faced challengers endorsed by Trump, with six ultimately losing their seats. An additional Trump-backed candidate also prevailed in a race for an open seat.
Bray’s decision not to seek another term as president pro tempore reverses an earlier statement he made in May, when he indicated that he would remain in the role. Leadership elections for the Senate are scheduled to occur when lawmakers reconvene in November.
