Primary elections are taking place Tuesday across Ohio and Indiana, along with a crucial state Senate contest in Michigan that will determine which party controls that chamber.
Ohio’s Democratic primary features former Senator Sherrod Brown attempting to win back his previous position. On the Republican side for governor, tech entrepreneur and former presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy is competing against auto-racing engineer and internet figure Casey Putsch for the nomination.
Indiana’s primaries center around redistricting disputes from last year, when President Donald Trump’s national gerrymandering efforts stalled after half the state’s Republican senators joined Democrats in rejecting the proposal. Trump has now endorsed primary opponents targeting seven of those GOP state senators.
Trump is supporting Republican challengers against GOP senators who voted against redistricting, with much of the groundwork being handled by Braun. Following Trump’s promise last year to campaign against GOP senators who blocked the redistricting effort and are running for reelection, Braun selected the candidates.
Angered by Senate GOP leader Rodrick Bray, who opposed redistricting, Braun recruited seven Republican challengers who pledged to oppose Bray for leadership.
Breaking with typical party practices, Braun has dedicated $3 million in advertising through his American Leadership PAC to target those incumbents at Trump’s request, according to data from ad-tracking company AdImpact.
This spending includes nearly $900,000 specifically targeting Republican state Senator Spencer Deery of West Lafayette, who was the first Republican to oppose redistricting and is a mentee of former GOP Governor Mitch Daniels, another redistricting opponent.
The Republican-majority Indiana Senate voted down the proposal in December that would have configured all nine congressional districts to favor the party, stopping progress on the national GOP redistricting push.
This decision went against months of pressure from the White House, led by Vice President JD Vance, who made two trips to Indianapolis and brought many caucus members to Washington, where Trump called in to speak with the group.
During Indiana’s consideration of the proposal, voters in Democratic-leaning California passed Proposition 50, enabling the state Legislature to circumvent the independent commission for redrawing districts in the next three biennial elections.
Republicans believe they could gain up to nine additional seats through redrawn districts in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. However, Democrats estimate they could secure as many as 10 extra seats through new districts in California, Utah and Virginia, though legal battles continue in Missouri and Virginia.
Emily Bohall Board, 37, an occupational therapist from Columbus, Indiana, explained she had never participated in a Republican primary until Tuesday. The redistricting issue motivated her to vote for Senator Greg Walker.
“Greg Walker is the only option not supported by Donald Trump, and I have been very upset about everything Trump has done,” Board stated.
Madison Long, 28, an attorney who also supported Walker, criticized his opponent Michelle Davis for her Trump connections.
“She doesn’t have any promises of her own or any agenda of her own. Her goal is to just follow Trump,” Long explained. “I find that extremely concerning given the nature of the nationwide politics.”
The Michigan race will decide whether Democrats retain their state Senate majority for the year’s remaining months.
Democrats presently hold a 19-18 state Senate advantage. A victory by Democrat Chedrick Greene would preserve their majority.
Should Republican Jason Tunney prevail, the Senate would be evenly split, complicating Democrats’ efforts to advance Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s legislative priorities. Although Democratic Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II would cast tie-breaking votes, Republicans could effectively halt any legislation by ensuring not all members participate in votes.
The race draws additional attention because this swing district in a battleground state may preview November’s midterm election outcomes.
Vance endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy for governor and Jon Husted for Senate. Husted received an appointment to Vance’s former seat after he became vice president.
“Well, I think Jon’s going to do a great job. He’s a good guy, and he’s been good for Ohio,” Vance commented.
Vance was accompanied by his son Vivek, who completed a children’s paper ballot.
“He voted for the Easter bunny over the tooth fairy,” the vice president noted.
The Democrat is campaigning to return to the U.S. Senate.
The former three-term senator, historically among Ohio’s most viable Democratic candidates, temporarily stepped away from politics following his 2024 reelection loss to Republican Bernie Moreno.
Brown, 73, is competing against first-time Democratic candidate Ron Kincaid in his effort to defeat Husted this fall. Husted received his Senate appointment in January 2025 to occupy the seat previously held by Vice President JD Vance.
Brown entered the Senate in 2007 following an upset victory over current Governor Mike DeWine, who was the incumbent at the time. Previously, Brown served seven terms as a U.S. representative and two terms as secretary of state. Earlier in his career, he became the youngest person elected to the Ohio House, serving eight years.
Brown is married to Pulitzer Prize-recipient columnist Connie Schultz and has two adult children. The family resides in suburban Columbus.
