Published by TrenBuzz.com | May 6, 2026
Key Points at a Glance – Trump Defeats 5 Indiana RINOs in a Single Night
- 5 of Trump’s 7 endorsed challengers defeated incumbent Indiana Republican state senators who blocked his redistricting plan.
- Trump called the incumbents “long-seated RINOs” on Truth Social — and his political machine spent an estimated $9 million to oust them.
- Sen. Spencer Deery survived — but only by three votes, with a recount likely.
- Rep. Jim Baird won his primary with Trump’s endorsement, defeating state Rep. Craig Haggard.
- Dem. Rep. André Carson won his Democratic primary comfortably and will face a Republican in November.
- In Michigan, Democrat Chedrick Greene won a state Senate special election — the latest in a string of Democratic over-performances in 2026.
- In Ohio, Vivek Ramaswamy won the Republican gubernatorial primary; Sherrod Brown won the Democratic Senate primary.
- Tuesday’s results confirm the 2026 picture: Trump controls the GOP — but Democrats have the momentum heading to November.
- The Indiana redistricting fight is a preview of battles coming in Florida, Texas, and Georgia.
Donald Trump made a promise when Indiana’s Republican state senators defied him on redistricting in December. On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, he kept it — and sent a warning the entire Republican Party heard loud and clear.
Elections in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan on Tuesday reinforced a picture that’s becoming increasingly clear — while President Donald Trump still dominates the Republican Party, Democrats seem to have the momentum ahead of November’s midterm elections. The biggest test of Trump’s power came in Indiana, where he backed primary challenges against seven Republican state senators who rejected his redistricting plan in December. Five of the president’s candidates won with the help of an avalanche of cash.
Trump’s Revenge — The Indiana Redistricting Purge
The results come after months of political threats and an estimated $9 million in spending to back primary challengers against the incumbents. In a statement, US Sen. Jim Banks said the wins should send a message: “Everyone in Indiana politics should have learned an important lesson today: President Trump is the single most popular Republican among Hoosier voters. Indiana is a conservative state, and we deserve conservatives in our State Senate who have a pulse on Republican voters.”
Rep. Michelle Davis declared after winning in District 41 against incumbent Greg Walker: “I want to thank President Donald Trump for his support. I’m proud to stand with him in fighting for commonsense policies that protect our freedoms and put Americans and Hoosiers First.”
The One That Got Away — Deery Survives by 3 Votes
Sen. Spencer Deery declared victory Tuesday night with just a three-vote difference between him and challenger Paula Copenhaver. “Thank you to everyone who made this victory possible. It was a challenging and close race,” he said. “We were massively outspent, but Hoosier voices prevailed.” But Copenhaver also seemed to claim victory and said “after all provisional ballots are counted, we will prevail.”
That three-vote margin in a race involving hundreds of thousands of dollars and a president’s personal vendetta could mean another round of litigation and recounts — keeping Indiana in the news for weeks.
The Michigan Warning — Democrats Keep Outperforming
Special elections have swung almost universally toward Democrats since Trump returned to the White House, and the trend continued Tuesday in central Michigan. Democrat Chedrick Greene comfortably won a state Senate race in a bellwether district — the latest in a string of Democratic over-performances that party strategists say signals strong November turnout.
The Michigan result is the number Republicans should be more worried about than Indiana. Winning your own primary against your own party’s senators is one thing. Losing swing districts to Democrats in special elections is another.
Ohio’s Story — Ramaswamy vs. Acton, Brown vs. Husted
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy won the Ohio governor’s primary decisively. He will face Amy Acton, Ohio’s former public health director, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Meanwhile, Sherrod Brown easily won the Democratic Senate nomination and will face Republican Sen. Jon Husted — appointed to fill the vacancy when JD Vance became vice president — in a special election for the last two years of Vance’s term.
The Big Picture — Two Stories, One Night
Tuesday, May 5 told two simultaneous stories about American politics in 2026. Story one: Donald Trump is still the undisputed boss of the Republican Party, and crossing him has consequences measured in lost elections, not just lost endorsements.
“This was a top political priority of President Trump’s, and he was very clear about that,” said Marty Obst, a longtime Republican political consultant who led the redistricting push. “And the bottom line is there’s consequences and accountability to those actions.”
Story two: Democratic primary enthusiasm is surging, special election results are flashing red for Republicans, and the party that controls the White House is heading into November with a historically unfavorable midterm environment.
Trump got his paycheck in Indiana. But November’s bill may be arriving sooner than his party expects.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news reporting purposes only. All election results are unofficial as of May 5–6, 2026. Some races, including the Deery-Copenhaver contest, may be subject to recount or legal challenge. All facts and quotes are sourced from AP, NPR, CNN, WFYI, and Live5 News as of May 6, 2026. TrenBuzz.com does not represent any political party, candidate, or election body. Readers are encouraged to follow official state election authorities for certified results.