Trump-Backed Candidates Win Majority of Indiana State Senate Primaries

Of seven challengers he backed, at least five secured victories over incumbents. One incumbent prevailed and the seventh race remained too close to call. " A senator who supported the challengers stated he was proud to have helped elect more conservative Republicans to the Indiana State Senate.

The spending by Trump allies reached at least $8.3 million in contests that usually draw little national attention. The primaries followed a dispute last year in which Trump pressed Republican-controlled states to redraw congressional maps outside the normal decennial process after a census.

Indiana senators resisted the proposal despite visits from the vice president and a conference call with Trump. The state is one that Trump has won by margins of at least 16 points in each of his three presidential campaigns.

The redistricting effort divided Indiana Republicans.

One incumbent who lost after voting against the proposal said he did what his constituents asked and accepted the outcome. He noted that more than $1.3 million was spent on attack advertising against him by groups linked to supporters of the challengers.

Spending in the closest race exceeded $815,000 on advertising by super PACs, compared with a combined $142,000 spent on the same candidate's 2022 primary and general election campaigns. An attorney who led a political action committee aligned with the effort to unseat incumbents said Republican primary voters support Trump's agenda and back candidates he endorses.

Voters interviewed in Columbus offered varied reasons for their choices. One retiree who supported a Trump-endorsed challenger cited concerns about the incumbent's positions but added that the president's endorsement was not the only factor. A 28-year-old lawyer who backed the incumbent criticized the challenger for lacking an independent agenda.