MAGA WAVE: Trump, Turning Point-backed candidates score major wins in Indiana GOP primaries
Trump sought to unseat those that did not back the map redraw effort.
Loading the front page…
Trump sought to unseat those that did not back the map redraw effort.
Update: As of Wednesday afternoon, with 99 percent of the vote in, Fiechter defeated holdman 61 to 39 percent, Powell defeated Buck 65 to 35 percent, Davis defeated Walker 59 to 41 percent, Schmutzler defeated Rogers 59 to 41 percent, De Vries defeated Dernulc 75 to 23 percent, Ellington won the reace to replace Bassler at 46 percent, and Goode defeated Wilson 54 to 36 percent. The race between Deery and Copenhaver remains too close to call, with Deery having just four more votes than Copenhaver, per Associated Press data.
Original story follows.
After multiple Republican Indiana state lawmakers in Indiana did not back President Donald Trump's efforts to redistrict in the state last year, five of them have been unseated from primary challengers backed by the president. One other lawmaker was able to survive the primary challenge on Tuesday evening, while one more is locked in a tight race.
The five incumbents included state Sens. Travis Holdman, who was unseated by real estate agent Blake Fiechter; Jim Buck, who was unseated by Tipton County Commission member Tracey Powell; Greg Walker, who was unseated by Rep. Michelle Davis; Linda Rogers lost her primary to Dr. Brian Schmutzler, an anesthesiologist; and Dan Dernulc was beat by Trevor De Vries, who works in insurance. Eight total state lawmaker faced primaries after blocking Trump's effort, but the president endorsed only seven of the challengers.
Turning Point Action played a significant role in the Ohio MAGA wave, after targeting 8 key races and seeing mostly success.
Turning Point's Tyler Bowyer made a prediction in December of 2025 after the state senators failed to help redraw the map: "Indiana will be a great example for the Republican Party. You can’t help Democrats and be a deep red state. Voters across the country are watching what happens next— and these State Senators must be replaced."
The one state senator who still won his primary is Greg Goode, who was able to best Vigo County Council member Brenda Wilson. The seventh incumbent lawmaker in the tight race as of Tuesday evening is state Sen. Spencer Deery, who is facing a challenge from Paula Copenhaver, an aide to Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith.
With 95 percent of the vote in, Deery leads by just a couple hundred votes. Late last year, after President Trump backed an effort to redistrict Indiana, several GOP state senators bucked the efforts. However, White House officials sought to unseat those that did not back the map redraw effort.
The move has been part of a litany of redistricting efforts in red and blue states ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Another GOP Indiana state senator, Eric Bassler, moved against Trump in the redistricting effort, but did not run for reelection. Former state Rep. Jeff Ellington was backed by Trump to take Bassler's seat, and he won the primary as well.
Libby’s Desk
Commentary and must-reads from Libby’s desk, straight to your inbox.
TPM Newsletter
The Post Millennial’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.
