President Donald Trump endorsed multiple Indiana Republican primary candidates running against “Republican in name only” state senators who voted against mid-decade redistricting.
Last December, 21 Republicans joined the Democrats in the Indiana Senate to strike down a Trump-backed redistricting bill that would have given the GOP an edge in the midterm elections by redrawing the state’s congressional map.
Since then, Trump has repeatedly criticized the legislative chamber’s refusal to redistrict. He is now following through on his threat to primary the anti-redistricting Republican state senators.
In a series of Truth Social posts on Wednesday, the president endorsed six GOP primary candidates — former Indiana state Reps. Jeff Ellington and Michelle Davis, Vigo County Councilwoman Brenda Wilson, Fountain County GOP Chairwoman Paula Copenhaver, businessman Tracey Powell, and Bluffton City Councilman Blake Fiechter.
The language in the endorsement messages was similar, with Trump touting each primary challenger as a viable alternative to their respective opponents. The posts also contained early polls showing Trump’s picks surpassing the “RINO” lawmakers if he endorsed them.
Trump has backed some, if not all, of the six challengers in past Truth Social posts, but he publicized his endorsements in back-to-back posts on Wednesday.
Last month, Trump first announced he would back Powell over Republican state Sen. Jim Buck for Indiana State Senate District 21. He also endorsed Wilson around the same time as Powell. Wilson is running against Republican state Sen. Greg Goode, who serves Indiana State Senate District 38.
The president had repeatedly criticized Goode for abandoning the effort to gain two more House GOP seats in Indiana. The state has nine congressional districts, seven of which are currently represented by Republicans.
VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS PASS PROPOSED REDISTRICTING MAP IN MIDST OF COURT BATTLE
Before Indiana Republicans voted down Trump’s redistricting plan, the White House pressured the state legislature to stand behind Trump on the issue. The pressure campaign, however, did not have the desired effect. Republicans in the Indiana Senate ultimately bucked the national party line in the final 31-19 vote against the redistricting bill.
Trump is now enacting his personal retribution against those who defied him. Primaries for the Indiana Senate will be held on May 5, followed by the general election on Nov. 3.