Stories

Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

May 6, 2026

Trump Ousts Five Indiana Republicans Who Blocked Redistricting Push

In Indiana's May 6, 2026 state Senate primaries, Trump-backed challengers defeated five incumbent Republican state senators who had voted against Trump's redistricting push last year. The redistricting bill had failed 31-19 in the Indiana Senate, with 21 Republicans joining Democrats to reject it. Trump vowed in November to primary any Republican who voted against the measure, and groups allied with him spent over $12 million across the seven contested races. The victories — including the defeat of 30-year veteran Travis Holdman, the chamber's third-most powerful Republican — cemented Trump's grip over the GOP and sent a stark warning to any Republican who crosses him on redistricting or other issues ahead of 2026 midterms.

Ohio and Indiana May Primaries Test Trump's Midterm Influence

On May 5, 2026, Ohio and Indiana held primary elections that served as early tests of both Trump's hold on the Republican Party and Democratic enthusiasm heading into the 2026 midterms. In Ohio, Vivek Ramaswamy — the former biotech entrepreneur and 2024 presidential candidate — won the Republican gubernatorial primary and will face Democratic nominee Amy Acton, the former state health director who gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the marquee US Senate primary, former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown secured his party's nomination to challenge Republican Senator Jon Husted in what is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races of the cycle. Pre-election data showed Democratic primary turnout outpacing Republican turnout by roughly 11%, a potential indicator of elevated Democratic enthusiasm. In Indiana, Trump invested heavily in ousting state Senate Republicans who had voted against his redistricting agenda, and at least five of seven Trump-backed challengers defeated incumbent GOP state senators — a striking demonstration of Trump's continued primary-election dominance within the party. $13.4 million was spent on Indiana state Senate primary advertising, up from $280,000 in 2024.

Louisiana Suspends US House Primaries After SCOTUS Redistricting Ruling

After the Supreme Court's April 29, 2026 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais struck down the state's existing congressional map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry suspended the state's May 16 U.S. House primaries — even though mail-in ballots had already been sent — to allow the legislature to draw a new map. The legislature began public hearings on May 4, with lawmakers signaling they would likely keep the majority-Black district based in Baton Rouge while eliminating the New Orleans-based majority-Black district currently held by Rep. Troy Carter, who would face losing his seat under the leading proposal.