GOP Lawmaker’s Census Lie Blows Up as Trump’s Gerrymander Push Intensifies
INDIANAPOLIS — As Donald Trump pressures Indiana Republicans to push through a controversial mid-decade congressional map, one GOP lawmaker is drawing scrutiny for a misleading claim about the U.S. Census.
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During a recent CNN interview defending Indiana Republicans’ redistricting plan, Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) alleged—without evidence—that the Census Bureau “manipulated” population counts in Democratic-run states. Stutzman said the Census had altered the number of House seats each state receives and suggested states with “more illegals” were benefiting at Indiana’s expense.
There is no evidence the Census Bureau manipulated population totals for partisan advantage. Census data from the 2020 count underwent its routine privacy-protection process—noise injection designed to prevent identification of individuals—but independent reviews have found no partisan tilt or targeted distortion favoring Democratic states. No major investigation, lawsuit, or expert analysis has identified intentional political interference in apportionment numbers.
Stutzman’s claim comes as Indiana Republicans move a Trump-backed map that would split Indianapolis into four districts and likely convert the state’s two Democratic-held U.S. House seats into Republican wins, creating a 9–0 GOP delegation. The Indiana House passed the map last week, but the Senate remains divided amid protests and national scrutiny.
Critics say Stutzman’s allegation mirrors a familiar pattern: using unfounded claims about population counts, immigration, or voting to justify aggressive partisan map-drawing. Voting-rights advocates warn that mischaracterizing the Census undermines public trust in federal data and distracts from what they argue is the real issue — a mid-decade gerrymander designed to entrench Republican power.
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Democrats blasted the remark as “a flat-out lie,” while nonpartisan experts called it “baseless,” noting Indiana’s own population trends — including urban population stagnation and rural decline — explain the state’s limited apportionment outcomes.
As pressure from Trump and aligned groups intensifies, the Indiana Senate is expected to face a decisive vote on the map in the coming days. Protests at the Statehouse are continuing as opponents warn the plan could reshape Indiana politics for a generation.