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Most Trump-backed primary challengers beat Indiana GOP state senators who opposed redistricting

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by Caroline Vakil - 05/05/26 9:34 PM ET

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by Caroline Vakil - 05/05/26 9:34 PM ET

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Just one of the seven Indiana GOP state senators who faced primary challengers backed by President Trump over their opposition to redistricting is projected to win their Republican primary, according to Decision Desk HQ. One race has yet to be called Tuesday evening.

Republican Blake Fiechter defeated incumbent state Sen. Travis Holdman (R) in the 19th state Senate district GOP primary, while Tracey Powell unseated GOP state Sen. James Buck in the 21st district. Republican state Sen. Greg Walker lost to Michelle Davis in the 41st district, and incumbent state Sen. Dan Dernulc (R) lost to Republican Trevor De Vries. Republican Brian Schmutzler defeated incumbent state Sen. Linda Rogers (R) in the 11th district.

Incumbent Sen. Greg Goode, who represents the 38th district, is the only incumbent, so far, that fended off a challenger supported by the president.

One race with a Trump backed-challenger remains uncalled, however. Incumbent GOP Sen. Spencer Deery is neck-in-neck with primary contender Paula Copenhaver with 95 percent of the vote reported as of 9:34 p.m. EDT Tuesday.

Last year, Indiana marked an unsuccesful attempt in Trump’s mid-decade redistricting push ahead of the November midterms, as Republicans brace for a challenging election environment.

The president and national Republicans successfully encouraged red states like Texas and Missouri to redraw their House maps for additional pickup opportunities in the 2026 midterms.

Democrats responded in kind, passing new maps in California and Virginia to try and offset GOP gains.

Yet, the Hoosier State — whose congressional delegation includes seven House Republicans and two House Democrats — became a rare instance where Republicans bucked the president.

Although Indiana Republicans in the lower chamber passed an aggressive 9-0 GOP-favored House map, those efforts ultimately stalled in the state Senate, where 21 GOP senators rejected the new lines in December.

Trump and his allies vowed retribution against lawmakers who voted against the map, leading national Republicans to back challengers to the GOP incumbents up for reelection this cycle. During and after the pressure campaign, Indiana Republicans who opposed or were uncertain about redistricting became the victims of swatting incidents.

Just one incumbent senator up for reelection this cycle did not face a Trump-endorsed challenger. GOP state Sen. Rick Niemeyer, however, is projected to lose to challenger James Starkey in the primary for the 6th district.

Tuesday elections marked a key test of Trump’s influence over the party.

Top Indiana Senate Republicans made clear even before the primaries that they stood by decision to not change the congressional maps.

“The bottom line is we decided that as a caucus, we were fairly evenly split, but we decided ultimately that it wasn’t the right thing. It wasn’t the right way for Indiana to move forward,” Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R) told CNN’s Dana Bash on Monday.

“You’re never guaranteed a result to get, say, 9-0 congressional Republican delegation in Indiana,” he said. “But this issue does breed an awful lot of cynicism, and we have an abundance of that in the nation already.”

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