Indiana voters head to the polls today in a pivotal primary election that has become a statewide referendum on political retribution. Seven Republican state senators who voted against Donald Trump's mid-decade redistricting effort now face challengers endorsed by the former president.
Trump's vendetta against Indiana lawmakers
After the redistricting push failed, Trump declared that "every one of these people should be primaried." True to his word, Trump-aligned dark money groups have poured over $7 million into TV ads in Indiana this year, according to AdImpact. The majority of these ads target Republicans who sided with Democrats in the December redistricting vote.
Among those under fire is Greg Goode, a first-term Republican representative from Terre Haute. He faces a competitive race in District 38 against city council member Brenda Wilson, who has received backing from both Trump and Indiana Governor Mike Braun, as well as a third candidate, Alexandra Wilson (no relation). Goode voted against Trump's redistricting plan after hosting a town hall where 71 residents opposed the revision and none spoke in favor.
Jim Buck, a state senator from Kokomo for 18 years, also faces a Trump-backed challenger. "We've never had Washington meddle into our elections like they have this time," Buck told NPR. "Now I've got over $1 million against me in one race." One ad disparaged the 80-year-old public servant by calling him "old, pathetic, liberal."
Broader implications for Republican Party
Republicans currently control seven of Indiana's nine congressional districts, and the overall balance of power is unlikely to shift in this year's midterm vote. Trump's redistricting scheme aimed to break up Indiana's 1st and 7th congressional districts, which represent the urban centers of Indianapolis and Gary, where Democrats have consistently held seats.
Party spending patterns suggest that incumbents are expected to hold their seats. Democratic advertisers account for less than 1% of the $25.5 million in ad spending in Indiana's 2026 primary contest, according to AdImpact data. Half of Indiana's 50 state Senate seats and all 100 state House seats are up for election in 2026.
Unlike Indiana, lawmakers in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio all dutifully passed redistricting measures designed to boost Republican control. Representatives in Alabama and Tennessee have already called for special sessions to discuss redistricting following last week's landmark Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for revisions in Louisiana. Democrats recently redrew voting maps in California.
In the final days before Indiana's contentious primary, Trump urged his TruthSocial followers to vote for a "true MAGA Warrior" and provided a link to voting locations on his party's campaign engine, "Swamp the Vote."
