The primary challenger to state Sen. Greg Goode is a vessel for a revenge scheme that might backfire. President Donald Trump had no idea who he was endorsing.
Trump backed Brenda Wilson to challenge Goode, R-Terre Haute, after Goode opposed the push for mid-cycle congressional redistricting. But her personal relationships provide a far better window into how she would act as a legislator than her professed loyalty to Trump.
Personal relationships are one of the few reliable tools that can help voters assess the character and judgment of candidates away from the campaign trail. That’s especially important in local elections, where candidates are typically less well known.
Wilson is challenging Goode in the Republican primary for Senate District 38, which includes Vigo and Clay counties and a portion of Sullivan County.
The Wilsons who want Brenda Wilson stopped
Wilson has been enmeshed in years of family conflict, most recently over the estate of her deceased husband, Fred Wilson Jr.
“I can’t believe that President Trump’s team — I mean, he’s a busy guy — would not have vetted this person,” Karen Wilson told me. “All you have to do is look for lawsuits, police reports, credit history, and she would not have been the candidate.”
Karen Wilson is the former wife of Fred Wilson Jr. The couple divorced and Fred later married Brenda, the Indiana Senate candidate.
Fred Wilson Jr. died in 2024. After his death, Brenda Wilson, her children and stepchildren engaged in a lengthy, expensive legal battle over Fred Wilson Jr.’s will and his Terre Haute farm. Karen Wilson’s children fought for their ownership stake in the farm.
“My son Fred (III) … he’s been farming there for 35 years,” Karen Wilson told me. “They wanted to keep the farm intact.”
Brenda Wilson also sued the farm for over $1 million two days before she announced her candidacy in January. That suit was dismissed.
Both disputes were at least partially resolved through mediation or a settlement. Angie Workman, who is Karen’s daughter, and Fred Wilson III declined to provide details.
“(Fred Wilson Jr.) was estranged from his children before he died,” Brenda Wilson told me. “He didn’t see his son at all the last year and a half before he passed.”
More than a year and a half before Fred Wilson Jr. died, there was already tension in the family. Fred Wilson Jr. accused Brenda Wilson of domestic battery and verbal abuse, according to a March 26, 2023, police report. Brenda’s daughter, Stephany Moore, also accused her of verbal abuse.
Fred Wilson Jr. had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy at the time. The prosecutor’s office did not file charges.
A Wilson endorsement for Greg Goode
Brenda Wilson also has history with Goode, whom she is now running against. Goode claims Brenda told him not to vote for early redistricting in October — the very vote that would eventually propel Wilson into the race and onto Trump’s radar. Wilson disputes his claim.
Karen Wilson — who initially supported redistricting — and her children invited Goode to their farm and endorsed him last month. Karen Wilson and Angie Workman, her daughter, both told me they were struck by his honesty and willingness to meet with them and answer their questions.
“(Fred Wilson Jr.) was involved in the community to have a voice at the table to shape the future in a beneficial way, especially during periods of uncertainty like we now face,” Workman told me. “We recognize we are all temporary stewards of what our ancestors built. It is more important than ever that we have forward-thinking leaders with honesty, integrity, and common sense.”
Trump’s endorsement is only about loyalty
Meanwhile, much of Brenda Wilson’s Senate campaign has focused solely on her Trump endorsement. She doesn’t have much of a personal relationship with Trump, though, as he misstated her job title in his endorsement.
His support isn’t about personal relationships, though. It’s about loyalty.
Redistricting was only a proxy vote to see which elected officials would blindly fall in line with the president, even if it meant their district’s representation would be watered down in Congress.
Trump’s support isn’t really about policy, either. The only other policy referenced in one of Wilson’s misleading campaign mailers is the claim that Goode “sold us out to China.”
The flyer cited a law, House Enrolled Act 1183, which banned ownership of certain land by foreign adversaries. That’s the opposite of what she claimed. The bill did include some carveouts meant to accommodate existing businesses, but the primary advocate for derailing or weakening the bill was the office of Gov. Eric Holcomb, not Goode.
It’s remarkable that a law supported by all but one member of the Indiana General Assembly was one of the only things Brenda Wilson could come up with to attack Goode. That shows how slight the actual policy differences between the two really are.
Judge politicians on the opinion of those who know them
Scott Presler, who founded Early Vote Action, is campaigning with Turning Point Action against Indiana senators who opposed redistricting, including Goode. Turning Point Action is the campaign arm of Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit founded by Charlie Kirk.
“Charlie Kirk would roll over in his grave if he knew his Turning Point was representing her,” Karen Wilson told me. “She doesn’t stand for any of his values.”
Brenda Wilson’s relationship with her family is a reflection on her values, character and judgment.
Many senators I’ve worked with in the past think they were elected because the people trust their judgment, not because of one particular policy or loyalty to one particular political figure. That judgment is important, given they weigh in on hundreds of bills each year, most of which escape the scrutiny of the general public.
Trump, Turning Point Action and Presler simply aren’t in any position to weigh in on Brenda Wilson’s character. Their endorsement should carry no weight.
Karen Wilson’s family, on the other hand, has a personal relationship with both Goode and Brenda Wilson. Their endorsement is far more meaningful.
Contact Jacob Stewart at 317-444-4683 or jacob.stewart@indystar.com. Follow him on X, Instagram and TikTok.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Trump endorsed a Senate candidate. Her family wants to stop her. | Opinion
Reporting by Jacob Stewart, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
