President Donald Trump is beginning to seek political retribution against the Indiana Republicans who voted against redistricting, as he pledged to do.
Trump endorsed three primary challengers against Republican Indiana state lawmakers this week. Weighing in on typically sleepy statehouse races reflects his frustration toward Indiana for foiling the GOP’s mid-decade redistricting campaign.
Trump was counting on the Indiana Statehouse to help counter the Democrat-friendly map passed by California, and he threatened to support primary challengers to any senator who dissented.
Twenty-one Republican state senators joined Democrats in December to defeat a new congressional map that would have advantaged Republicans in every district in the state.
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So far, the president has endorsed Indiana state Rep. Michelle Davis’ challenge against state Sen. Greg Walker, Bluffton City Council member Blake Fiechter’s challenge against state Sen. Travis Holdman, and Tipton County Commissioner Tracey Powell’s challenge against state Sen. Jim Buck.
Trump called all three state senators a “RINO,” or “Republican In Name Only,” in Truth Social posts. It’s not clear whether Trump intends to direct any other resources toward the challengers.
Walker planned to not seek reelection but filed for the primary earlier this month. He told NOTUS he does not regret his vote and warned others of the “consequences of the federalization of Indiana politics.” Now, those are coming to fruition.
He wouldn’t comment on the potential impact Trump’s endorsement could have in his district, but questioned the effectiveness of national endorsements in down-ballot races.
“The more distant or unrelatable these endorsements are, the less they have on the voter’s decision,” he said.
State Rep. Davis said in a statement to NOTUS that she was “honored” to have the president’s support and that his endorsement is a “clear validation of my conservative record and my vote to protect the Republican majority when it mattered most.”
Holman, Buck, Fiechter and Powell did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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