Ohio and Indiana Primary Elections Test Trump's Political Grip
Voters in Ohio and Indiana held primary elections on May 5, testing President Trump's influence over Republicans. Early voting data shows Democrats surging in Ohio with 11% more primary ballots cast than Republicans, while Trump targets seven Indiana GOP senators who opposed redistricting.
Democratic Surge in Ohio
According to early voting data from the Ohio Secretary of State's Office, more people have voted using Democratic primary ballots than Republican ahead of Election Day, by a roughly 11% margin.
Trump's Rare Move Against Incumbents
In roughly a decade of Trump offering his "complete and total endorsement" to Republicans, he rarely endorses against sitting incumbents, but in Indiana his political operation is targeting seven state senators who opposed the push to redraw House maps to add more Republican seats.
Broader Political Context
These primaries come the week after a U.S. Supreme Court decision that weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and Trump's unpopular second-term agenda and record-low approval ratings have led to competitive races this fall for governor and U.S. Senate in Ohio.