Trump's retribution? What to watch in Tuesday's elections in Indiana,
Ohio and Michigan
[May 05, 2026]
By JONATHAN J. COOPER
President Donald Trump's campaign to politically punish Republicans who
stand in his way moves through Indiana on Tuesday, when seven state
senators face Trump-backed primary challengers.
In neighboring Ohio, primaries for U.S. Senate and governor will lock in
the candidates for two major races with national implications.
And in Michigan, voters in a bellwether district will fill a vacancy in
the state Senate, a race with implications for the balance of power in a
battleground state.
Here's what to watch for.
How strong is Trump's grip on the Republican Party?
Trump is taking aim at seven Republican state senators in Indiana who
opposed his plan to redraw congressional district boundaries to help the
party gain seats in the U.S. House.
Groups allied with the president have spent millions on advertising, an
extraordinary flood of cash and attention into races that are typically
low profile.
The races are a test of Trump's enduring grip over his party as
Republicans grow increasingly anxious about the midterm elections in
November.
The results will signal to Republicans everywhere about how big a price
they'll pay with their voters if they distance themselves from Trump
even as his popularity fades. And it will show the president whether he
can still credibly threaten consequences for Republicans who cross him.
The Trump-targeted state senators all represent districts he carried in
2024, mostly by 20 percentage points or more.
The key races to watch are districts 1, 11, 19, 21, 23, 38 and 41.
Ohio races get started in earnest
The state's primary is the wind up to the big show. Although Ohio has
become increasingly conservative, Democrats believe their path back to a
U.S. Senate majority runs through the state.
They're putting their hopes behind former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost
Ohio's other Senate seat to Bernie Moreno in 2024.
He's expected to face off with Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was
appointed last year to fill the vacancy created when JD Vance became
vice president.
The race is a special election to fill the last two years of Vance's
term.
In the campaign for governor, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has parlayed
his national name recognition, tech industry connections and alliance
with Trump into a record fundraising haul. He's largely ignoring
Republican rival Casey Putsch, focusing his rallies and television ads
on the general election.
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Jason Tunney, Republican candidate for the 35th Senate District,
speaks with supporters at Otherside Bar and Grill Monday, April 27,
2026, in Freeland, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
An engineer and vehicle designer who calls himself “The Car Guy,” Putsch
has attracted fans with provocative YouTube videos that troll Ramaswamy
and criticize national Republicans over their handling of the Epstein
files, positions on energy-guzzling data centers and support for Israel.
Amy Acton, Ohio's former public health director, is running unopposed
for the Democratic nomination. She played a key role in the state's
response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Will Democrats sweep another special election?
The special election for a state Senate seat in central Michigan carries
outsized importance.
It's another test of enthusiasm in a series of special elections that
have swung almost universally toward Democrats since Trump returned to
the White House. It also could affect the balance of power in the
Michigan State Capitol. A Democratic victory would give the party a firm
majority in the state Senate, while a Republican win would deadlock the
chamber in a 19-19 tie.
The district is closely matched. Democrat Kamala Harris beat Trump there
by less than 1 point in the 2024 presidential election.
The seat has been vacant for more than a year, since Democrat Kristen
McDonald Rivet resigned to take a seat in Congress.
Democrats are showing surprising strength in special elections and
off-year contests across the country, winning races in unexpected places
and significantly narrowing the gap, even when they fall short.
There's no guarantee the trend will continue through the midterms, when
turnout will be much higher, but it has nonetheless energized Democrats
and spooked Republicans worried about keeping their congressional
majorities.
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