Trump takes scalps in Indiana, flexing power over GOP

▪ Anti-redistricting Republicans ousted

▪ Project Freedom paused

▪ Lutnick testifying on Epstein

▪ Abortion back in political spotlight

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President Trump demonstrated the extent of his power in the Republican Party on Tuesday night as five out of seven Indiana GOP state senators lost their primaries to Trump-backed challengers by a wide margin.

After the Indiana state Senate refused to approve a new congressional map for the upcoming midterms this year, the president endorsed a slate of challengers to seven lawmakers who voted against the map, which would have eliminated both of the two Democratic-leaning districts.

Trump took victory laps in posts on Truth Social as the results came in throughout the night.

Those who lost their primaries include GOP state Sens. Dan Dernulc, Travis Holdman, James Buck, Linda Rogers and Greg Walker — all by double-digit margins.

State Sen. Greg Goode fended off his challengers comfortably, winning his primary by 17 points over his closest opponent. One race remains too close to call, as state Sen. Spencer Deery is clinging to a three-vote lead against his Trump-backed opponent, as of the latest vote count.

One additional GOP state senator who opposed redistricting also lost their primary. The president didn’t formally endorse the opponent to state Sen. Rick Niemeyer, but he still called for his defeat.

Niemeyer lost by the narrowest margin of all those who were defeated, by just more than 12 points.

Trump reiterated his opposition to the eight state lawmakers earlier Tuesday, taunting them as “RINOS,” an acronym meaning “Republican in name only.”

“Good luck to those Great Indiana Senate Candidates who are running against people who couldn’t care less about our Country, or about keeping the Majority in Congress,” he said in a post on Truth Social.

The success of the president’s endorsements, even in traditionally low-key state legislative races, underscores his grip on the GOP, despite his falling approval ratings overall and to some extent with members of his party.

The Trump touch has been less valuable in competitive special elections against Democrats, with Republicans on a losing streak during the president’s second term.

Trump has regularly endorsed in congressional primaries to support his preferred candidates since he first became president, but weighing in against incumbent state lawmakers is rare even for him.

Indiana Republicans noted the results illustrate the president’s power in the party.

“Everyone in Indiana politics should have learned an important lesson today: President Trump is the single most popular Republican among Hoosier voters,” Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said in a statement, the Indianapolis Star reported. “Indiana is a conservative state, and we deserve conservatives in our State Senate who have a pulse on Republican voters.”

Indiana’s map is unlikely to change this year now that the primaries have passed, but some political observers said state lawmakers may now be motivated to consider the issue for the future.

Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) told Newsmax on Monday that he believes state lawmakers will “definitely consider” a new map, noting the “very tough races” the Trump-opposed incumbents faced.

The results may be eye-opening for state Republican lawmakers throughout the country, particularly in light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision further restricting the Voting Rights Act. That ruling has spurred multiple GOP-led states to initiate proceedings to draw new congressional maps targeting majority-Black, Democratic-held districts.

▪ The Hill: Key takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries.

The White House believes it is nearing a framework deal with Iran to end the war, Axios reported Wednesday morning. The U.S. expects an Iranian response to points laid out in a one-page memo within the next 48 hours, the outlet reported.

Democrats handily won a contested special election for an open Michigan state Senate seat on Tuesday, as Chedrick Greene defeated Republican Jason Tunney by almost 20 points in a battleground district. The win will keep Democrats in control of the chamber.

The State Department has officially terminated........

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