President Donald Trump and his supporters sent a clear message to establishment Republicans on Tuesday night in a number of landslide victories.
In Indiana, Trump-endorsed challengers swept out incumbent Republican state senators who defied the president five months ago by voting down his congressional redistricting plan. Several of the defeated incumbents lost by 20 points or more.
“Big night for MAGA in Indiana,” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said. “Proud to have helped elect more conservative Republicans to the Indiana State Senate.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, who stood with Trump in backing the challengers, declared the victories a historic win for MAGA in the state.
“Historic night for Indiana as Republicans stood with me and President Trump to nominate some great America First conservatives,” Braun posted. “I look forward to winning big in November and serving Hoosiers with this team in the statehouse!”
The purge was months in the making. In December, the Republican supermajority in the Indiana state Senate humiliated Trump by voting down a redrawn congressional map he backed — one designed to flip two Democrat-held House seats to Republican and deliver Indiana a 9-0 Republican congressional delegation. Trump responded by endorsing challengers to many of the eight senators who voted against it and unleashing a $12 million GOP advertising blitz to drive them out.
One of the winners, Rep. Michelle Davis — who defeated Walker in District 41 — made her loyalty to Trump clear in her victory statement.
“I want to thank President Donald Trump for his support,” Davis said. “I’m proud to stand with him in fighting for commonsense policies that protect our freedoms and put Americans and Hoosiers First.”
Only one incumbent Trump targeted survived. Sen. Greg Goode of Terre Haute defeated two Trump-backed challengers — the lone holdout in an otherwise clean sweep.
Across the border in Ohio, Trump’s close ally Vivek Ramaswamy steamrolled his way to the Republican gubernatorial nomination with more than 82% of the vote — one of the most dominant primary performances in recent Ohio political history.
Ramaswamy, 40, received Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” for Ohio governor after stepping down as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency and handing it to Elon Musk.
“I believe we have a historic opportunity to lead Ohio, not just to be the best state in the Midwest, because we are already the best in the Midwest,” Ramaswamy told supporters after his victory. “We have a historic opportunity to lead Ohio to be the top state in the country, to raise a young family, to give our kids a world-class education, and to be the state where we revive this quaint idea that we call the American dream.”
Ramaswamy will face Democrat Amy Acton — dubbed “Dr. Lockdown” by Republicans for her role in Ohio’s COVID shutdowns — in what is expected to be the most expensive gubernatorial race in Ohio history.
“I do believe that this marks, without exception, the single most consequential election for governor that our state has ever seen in our history,” Ramaswamy said. “There has never been a greater contrast between two candidates.”
Tuesday night was a resounding verdict and sent a clear message to establishment Republicans.
The GOP is still Trump’s party.