US Election results: Donald Trump backed Republican senator loses in Indiana, another survives close contest

One Indiana Republican state senator lost Tuesday to a challenger backed by President Donald Trump, while another incumbent survived in two of seven races that are testing the president's influence in a deep red state. Blake Fiechter, who had Trump's backing, defeated state Sen. Travis Holdman, while Sen. Greg Goode held off a challenge from Trump-backed Brenda Wilson.

Trump targeted seven Indiana state senators who defied months of White House pressure by voting against mid-decade redistricting, which the president wanted to boost Republicans' chances in the midterm elections.

It has been a costly and unprecedented intraparty battle that has exacerbated tensions among Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Trump's allies have spent at least $8.3 million on races that rarely get much attention from Washington.


Holdman, a lawyer from the Fort Wayne area, was elected to the Indiana Senate in 2008. He was chairman of the Senate Republican caucus and was considered by his colleagues to be even-tempered.

Before the polls closed on Tuesday, Holdman said, “I’m at peace with however it goes.”

Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith said the primary is about how far the party will go to get an edge over Democrats — a contest between “the Republicans who tend to want to avoid the fight and the Republicans who feel like we need to fight."

Indiana rejected Trump on redistricting




Trump began leaning on Republican-led states last year to redraw their congressional maps to make it easier for his party to hold its thin majority in the U.S. House. Although redistricting is normally done once a decade, after a new census, Trump wanted to abandon tradition to gain a political edge.

Texas was the first to follow through, and the White House pressured Indiana to go along too. Vice President JD Vance met with state politicians in Washington and Indianapolis, and Trump weighed in by conference call.

However, Indiana senators rebuffed the effort, one of the president's first significant political defeats of his second term.

The redistricting fight divided Republicans in Indiana, a state Trump won three times by no less than 16 points. Republican Gov. Mike Braun, U.S. Sen. Jim Banks and organizations such as Turning Point Action have worked alongside Trump to unseat the incumbents.

Jim Bopp, a prominent Indiana attorney who leads a political action committee aligned with Braun, predicted that Trump’s support will carry the day for the challengers.