President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidates scored decisive victories in Indiana’s Republican primaries on Tuesday, a clear demonstration of his enduring grip on the party and a warning to incumbent Republicans who have crossed him. The results put Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) squarely in the crosshairs, as Trump has already backed their primary challengers.
In Indiana, five of seven Trump-endorsed candidates defeated state lawmakers who had defied the president’s calls for redistricting. The wins, coupled with Trump-backed candidates prevailing in key Ohio primaries, underscore the president’s ability to shape the party’s direction ahead of the midterms. “The results in Indiana and Ohio prove that Republican voters want leaders who will work with President Trump, not actively scheme against him like Massie has done,” said Tim Murtaugh, a senior adviser to Massie’s challenger Ed Gallrein.
Massie faces Gallrein in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District primary, a race where Trump’s endorsement carries heavy weight. Murtaugh added, “An endorsement from President Trump is always gold at any time, but it’s extraordinarily valuable in a Republican primary.” The contest is one of several high-profile GOP primaries where Trump has intervened, including his endorsement of Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) in the state’s Senate primary after pushing businessman Nate Morris to seek an ambassadorship.
Trump also backed Dr. Ralph Alvarado in Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District, currently held by Barr. A Kentucky news outlet described the dual endorsements as “a political earthquake.” Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters told Fox News, “I always say if you have his endorsement, it’s like a fast pass at Disney World. You go right to the front.”
In Louisiana, Trump has endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow in her challenge to Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump after the January 6 insurrection. The primary is a direct test of Trump’s power to oust a sitting senator. The Indiana results could also reshape redistricting battles nationwide. As Trump addresses the nation on Iran, his political operation is pushing for favorable maps in states like Tennessee, where Republican lawmakers unveiled a plan to split the state’s only Democratic-controlled district into three parts.
Louisiana Republicans see an opening after the Supreme Court declared the state’s congressional map an illegal gerrymander last week, ordering a redraw that could jeopardize at least one Democratic district. In South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette have called for the General Assembly to ensure the state’s map complies with federal law. Evette told The Hill, “We did see what happened in Indiana last night. People have been talking about that, not really sure where we fit into that. But now with the spotlight being put on it in southern states, I mean, people are becoming a lot more vocal.”
South Carolina’s House Rules Committee advanced a resolution to allow lawmakers to return to Columbia later this year to address redistricting. However, McMaster has not yet called for a special session. Evette said she would support one, stating, “Me as lieutenant governor would completely be in favor of bringing everybody back to get this done.”
The Indiana results send a potent signal to Republican state legislators considering redistricting: defying Trump carries real electoral risk. As one national GOP operative noted, “It sends a clear signal to those Republican states that are getting the pressure or have the opportunity to do something.” With primaries looming for Massie and Cassidy, the president’s endorsement remains a decisive force.
