Perspective from 2nd District Democratic Candidate for Congress Jamee Decio
Indiana lawmakers stand on the brink of capitulating to White House interference in our 2026 midterm elections if Gov. Mike Braun and the statehouse redraw congressional maps so Republicans can win all nine of the state’s U.S. House seats. They currently hold seven.
Braun set a special legislative session to change district boundaries now, instead of waiting until the 2030 census. Working Americans have become disillusioned by this administration’s policies, and Republicans fear losing control in 2026.
Redistricting would deny Democratic Hoosiers a voice in Washington. It would deprive disillusioned Republican and independent voters an opportunity to replace current lawmakers.
Voting constitutes the heart of our democracy. The power to choose who governs belongs with the people, not with an authoritarian president or officials under his thrall.
To me, an Elkhart native whose parents taught their children to value integrity and honesty, this special session reeks of cheating.
Honesty matters. Character matters.
We give our young people sportsmanship awards for fair play and honesty with hopes that they will abide by such values throughout their lives.
We do not reward cheating.
We face the most significant midterm elections of our lives, as they will determine whether we retain the ability to freely choose our leaders.
As a Democratic candidate for Indiana’s 2nd District congressional seat, I want a fair fight. I am running to protect and defend Indiana values that served my family, friends and neighbors.
In a few days, our spineless governor could offer a plan to split the 2nd District to ensure reelection of the incumbent, Rep. Rudy Yakym. Yakym rubber-stamps the president’s agenda, seemingly indifferent to how it harms constituents like Indiana farmers.
Indiana lawmakers’ loyalty should be with the voters. Otherwise, with dissenting congressional Democrats in the minority, President Trump will continue ruling by executive order and weakening Congress.
Our increasingly unpopular president has enriched himself by billions of dollars so far in his second term, yet he has failed to address the rising costs of food, fuel, housing and health care facing Americans of all political stripes.
Instead, he repeatedly boasts about building a $300 million White House ballroom, accepting a jet from Qatar, and promising Argentina $40 billion in U.S. aid while he betrays American farmers. This season’s loss of the Chinese soybean market threatens to bankrupt some Indiana farms.
Our 2nd District representative’s endorsement of this election scheme speaks volumes about his disdain for democracy. He appears incapable of grasping that he was elected to serve EVERYONE in his district, regardless of party affiliation.
It is also evident that he has not read the Constitution nor comprehends its key principles. Showing loyalty to the president above loyalty to “the people” poses a greater threat to American democracy than any undocumented immigrant.
Indiana voters — Democratic, Republican and independent — must reject unfair redistricting.
Otherwise, cowardly legislators will degrade our voting process and the people will lose something more important than an election — our democracy.
Additional information about Jamee’s candidacy and campaign, along with an invitation to her official launch event will follow in the coming days.