Trump backing 7 Indiana Republicans looking to oust GOP lawmakers who voted against gerrymandering

0:00 Republicans are keeping a close watch on Ohio and Indiana

0:03 tonight as voters cast their ballots in state and congressional primaries.

0:08 In the Buckeye State in common GOP,

0:09 Senator John Houston is running to win a full term.

0:12 He was appointed to fill Vice President JD

0:14 Vance seat last year and he faces a challenge

0:17 from a Democratic newcomer Ron Concaid and former Ohio Senator

0:21 Shared Brown who lost his bid for reelection in 2024.

0:25 The race for Ohio governor is also wide open with biotech billionaire and Trump

0:29 ally Vive Rama Swami vying for the Republican nomination in the Hooser state.

0:34 President Trump has endorsed seven Republican candidates

0:37 who are trying to oust a group of state senators who voted against Indiana's

0:40 effort to redraw its congressional map last year.

0:43 Let's bring in CBS News executive director

0:45 of White House and Politics Finn Gomez.

0:46 So Finn, why is the president focusing so much

0:49 on these races and how do voters feel about his input?

0:52 Yeah, Lindsay, this is really about one thing, the ongoing midterm map war.

0:57 Last year, if you recall,

0:58 President Trump and his allies tried to redraw Indiana's congressional lines

1:01 to squeeze out a more favorable Republican map ahead of the midterms.

1:06 But over 20 Republican state senators broke ranks,

1:09 as you as you just said, and essentially tanked it.

1:11 Uh the president and Governor Brun, a Republican, have not forgotten.

1:14 Tonight is supposed to be the payback primary, they say,

1:17 and are targeting at least seven of those Republican incumbents who

1:21 are on the ballot today and who dared to push back.

1:23 But this has been part of a broader national push by Republicans

1:26 to redraw maps where they can lock in more seats ahead of the midterms.

1:30 Uh, but we're hearing from the ground that the voters

1:32 are split in a deep red state like Indiana.

1:34 Trump's endorsement will carry real weight with those seven challengers,

1:38 especially in those primaries.

1:39 But targeting fellow Republicans is unusual and is is a test of just

1:43 how far his influence still goes within

1:45 the party and especially there in Indiana.

1:48 All right.

1:48 So, what are you watching for in Ohio?

1:50 Ohio, it goes down to two two major races.

1:54 For one, as you mentioned, is that big Senate race, Sherid Brown,

1:58 the former senator, a progressive, a Democrat who lost his seat two years ago.

2:03 Uh Democrats feel really bullish about his candidacy.

2:06 uh they feel that uh the climate and the midterm electorate have changed.

2:10 It looks better than it did in 2024.

2:12 He will likely face John Hustad,

2:14 the Republican uh and it's really becoming one of the key matchups of the cycle.

2:18 And on the governor's race, there's Vikram Vive Ramaswami.

2:21 As you just said, he's been he spent a year

2:23 building a Trump aligned outsider billionaire lane in this race.

2:27 And he's been the one to beat in most

2:29 public polling when it comes to the Republican side.

2:32 But it it's really looking to be a matchup between him and Democrat Amy Actton.

2:37 Most polls show it to be very competitive in the state

2:40 that has moved more red in the last couple cycles.

2:43 Lindsay.

2:44 All right, Fin Gomez.

2:45 Thank you.

2:46 Thank you.