In a round of endorsements issued on the first day of early voting in Indiana, President Donald Trump threw his support behind two more primary challengers to anti-redistricting Indiana senators.
The president endorsed Dr. Brian Schmutzler, a physician running against Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, and Trevor DeVries, who works in transactional risk insurance and is hoping to unseat Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland.
Now, nearly all anti-redistricting Republican senators up for re-election in Indiana have a Trump-endorsed challenger. The president has not yet endorsed a candidate in Senate District 6, where Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, faces a challenge from Jay Starkey.
Trump’s push comes with mere weeks left to sway voters in what has been an unusually competitive primary election season for state legislators. Months after Indiana rejected the president’s mid-decade redistricting efforts, Trump and his allies, including national groups like Turning Point Action and even Gov. Mike Braun, have made good on their pledge not to forget Senate Republicans’ rebuke. With an unprecedented level of advertising spending and national attention, the results of the primaries will test how far Trump’s appeal can stretch in local races.
The two new challenger endorsements were buried among a flurry of repeat endorsements for primary challengers and pro-redistricting senators Trump has already endorsed. That includes yet another endorsement of Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, who has found herself at odds with several prominent Indiana conservatives, including Attorney General Todd Rokita and U.S. Sen. Jim Banks. Both Banks and Rokita have shown support for Brown’s challenger.
Trump also endorsed to some, but not all, pro-redistricting state representatives.
Trump endorsed incumbents
Trump endorsed challengers
Trump endorsed candidates in open races
Contact breaking politics reporter Marissa Meador at mmeador@indystar.com or find her on X at @marissa_meador.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Trump endorses more challengers to anti-redistricting Indiana senators. Here’s the full list
Reporting by Marissa Meador, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
