10

Loading video...

Anna Commander

By Anna Commander

News Editor

0

Share

Newsweek is a Trust Project member

See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.

A handful of incumbent candidates in Indiana are facing defeat in their respective state Senate primary races on Tuesday night after President Donald Trump backed their opponents.

As of 9:23 p.m. ET, five incumbents have lost their races versus one candidate who secured victory as Trump backed their opponents.

The election results follow Trump's displeasure with a redistricting bill in the Hoosier State being shot down last year. The president announced support for the bill and took numerous swipes at Republican State Senate Pro Tempore Rodric Bray about backing it.

Read More on News

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment on Tuesday night.

Why It Matters

The results offer an early test of Trump’s ability to shape down-ballot Republican primaries after Indiana senators helped sink the mid-decade redistricting plan favored by the White House.

Trump’s involvement drew millions in outside spending and nationalized typically quiet state Senate races, NBC News reports, signaling how the party’s internal power struggle could affect House control in November.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a small-business summit in the East Room of the White House on Monday in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

...

What To Know

The incumbents who lost their races following Trump's backing of their opponents include Linda Rogers, Travis Holdman, James Buck and Greg Walker. One incumbent, Greg Goode, survived Trump's attempt to primary challenge him.

Incumbent Daniel Dernulc also lost his race on Tuesday night, as Trump-backed opponent Trevor De Vries secured victory.

In a post on Truth Social before polls closed on Tuesday, Trump said, "Good luck to those Great Indiana Senate Candidates who are running against people who couldn’t care less about our Country, or about keeping the Majority in Congress. There are eight Great Patriots running against long seated RINOS — Let’s see how those RINOS do tonight! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

The Indiana redistricting proposal would have split Indianapolis into four congressional districts favorable to Republicans. The measure, which passed the Indiana House with a 57-41 vote, was heavily lobbied by Trump, who launched personal attacks against Bray and pressured Republican lawmakers to support the bill.

However, the final Senate vote was 19 in favor and 31 against. Among the 31 senators in opposition, 21 were Republicans.

One race still remained pending as of 11:12 p.m. ET. Incumbent Spencer Deery holds an extremely narrow lead over Trump-backed candidate Paula Copenhaver. According to CNN, they each have 50 percent of the vote, with 99 percent of the ballots in. Deery leads by just three votes, 6,334 to 6,331.

Turning Point USA Spokesman Andrew Kolvet posted to X on Tuesday night, "Already 6 targeted Indiana State Senate races have been called in favor of grassroots candidates over the establishment Rs who betrayed the base on redistricting. Waiting on 2 more but it’s clear the Trump Team delivered @salerGT and @JamesBlairUSA Also major congrats to our @TPAction team that worked so hard mobilizing on the ground in Indiana."

Scott Jennings, political pundit and former adviser to President George W. Bush, on X Tuesday also reacted to the results, saying in part, "Trump cleaned up in Indiana State Senate primary tonight."

"He calls the shots in the Republican Party and if you go against that, he will pour his wrath out upon you, and it doesn't typically turn out well. As Harry Enten has said before, 'go against Trump in a primary, you wind up in a grinder.' And that's what happened in Indiana," Jennings added in part in a CNN video included in the post.

View this post on X

Indiana Republicans Who Voted Against Last Year's Redistricting Bill

View 0 Comments

Request Reprint & Licensing

Submit Correction

View Editorial & AI Guidelines