Recount puts Trump-backed challenger in the lead of Indiana state Senate primary

2026 ElectionRecount puts Trump-backed challenger in the lead of Indiana state Senate primaryState Sen. Spencer Deery, who now trails Republican Paula Copenhaver by three votes, said he will appeal the decision. Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00The Indiana State Capitol.Ward DeWitt / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleAug. 10, 2026, 8:07 PM EDTBy Jane C. TimmA recount in a contested May Indiana state Senate primary has put Republican Paula Copenhaver, who was backed by President Donald Trump, ahead of incumbent Spencer Deery. Deery was one of seven GOP members of the Indiana state Senate who faced primary challengers this spring after voting down a redrawn congressional map that Trump pushed last year. Five lost, while Deery clung to a three-vote lead, which Copenhaver challenged. On Monday, ten votes — eight for Deery and two for Copenhaver — were thrown out by the Indiana Recount Commission over minor errors, the Indiana Capital Chronicle reported, giving Copenhaver a three-vote edge. In a post on X, Deery said he would appeal the decision.“Today, we saw members of the Indiana Recount Commission attempt to undermine the will of voters by treating ballots differently based on whether they furthered the president’s political goals,” Deery wrote. “This was not a meeting intended to find fairness; it was designed to find votes.” Spencer Deery was one of the Republicans in the Indiana state Senate who opposed Trump's redistricting plan. Doug McSchooler / APCopenhaver, an aide to Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.If her victory survives appeal, Copenhaver would be favored in the general election in the heavily Republican 23rd state Senate district. West Lafayette City Councilman David Sanders, a Democrat, and independent candidate Joshua Brant are also running. The new state Senate could reconsider redistricting ahead of the 2028 election. Indiana Senate President Rod Bray, who also opposed...