इंडियाना में रिपब्लिकन प्राइमरी: ट्रम्प के समर्थन और बाहरी विज्ञापन का प्रभाव

Indianapolis, Indiana. Republican primary voters this week are deciding whether President Donald Trump's endorsements and an estimated $9 million in advertising by national groups will unseat state senators who opposed his push to reshape Indiana's U.S. House maps. Pro-redistricting groups seek to defeat enough incumbents to force Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray from his leadership role after the Senate voted down the plan. Political organizations affiliated with U.S. Sen. Jim Banks paid for many of the television, radio and digital ads, which label targeted senators 'anti-Trump' or 'liberal.' Sen. Spencer Deery said the negative ads are lies coming from outside his district and intended to intimidate legislators. The primary election on Tuesday, with early in-person voting through noon Monday, will determine nominees for U.S. House seats, state legislative posts, many county offices, party precinct officials and delegates to state conventions. In-person voting hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, and mailed absentee ballots must be received at local election offices by 6 p.m. Tuesday to be counted. High-profile House contests include Democratic Rep. André Carson facing George Hornedo and Destiny Wells in the 7th District, and Republican Rep. Jim Baird challenged by state Rep. Craig Haggard; Baird has highlighted a Trump endorsement. Republicans hold seven of Indiana's nine congressional seats, and winners in the 4th and 7th District primaries will be heavily favored going into November given the districts' partisan leanings. Voters will also see contested state Senate primaries in districts such as 11, 19, 21, 23, 38, 41, 15, 22 and the swing 29th, where Republicans Mike Delph, John Ruckelshaus and Roni Ford are competing. No statewide offices appear on primary ballots this year; nominees for secretary of state, treasurer and comptroller will be decided by party convention delegates in June, and delegate candidates are listed on the primary ballot by county.