The political landscape is tense for Republicans who have defied former President Donald Trump, as evidenced by a recent political shakeup in Indiana. Out of seven state senators who opposed Trump’s redistricting efforts, six have been ousted.
Currently, Trump’s team is setting its sights on Republican figures in Louisiana, Kentucky, and Georgia who have fallen from his favor. They are also intensifying redistricting drives in Tennessee and South Carolina, aiming to secure additional Republican seats and maintain a grip on the House of Representatives.
In Indiana, Trump’s allies invested a substantial $13.5 million into state Senate races, with one race still pending results as of Friday. This significant financial input into smaller contests sends a powerful warning to any party members considering dissent.
“The outcome in Indiana signals that any deviation from the agenda will be met with swift consequences,” commented James Carville, a former advisor to President Bill Clinton, to The Post.
Among those in Trump’s crosshairs is Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, following his vote to convict Trump on charges of “incitement of insurrection” related to the January 6 Capitol events. Trump criticized Cassidy after a failed nomination of Dr. Casey Means for U.S. Surgeon General, due to her stance on vaccines.
“It’s rare for significant shifts to occur so close to an election. Cassidy’s prospects appear bleak,” Carville noted. Trump has thrown his support behind challenger Representative Julia Letlow of Louisiana, labeling Cassidy as “very disloyal” last month. Republican state Treasurer John Fleming has also entered the race.
Trump is also salivating to take down Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who has pushed to release files on the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and opposed the president’s Big Beautiful Bill – flying to his district to endorse former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein. Outside groups have poured $10 million into ads TV trashing Massie.
Trump is also keen to settle scores with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who resisted his pleas to “find 11,780 votes” in their infamous phone call after the 2020 elections.
On Wednesday night Trump endorsed Georgia Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running against Raffensperger, at a tele-rally. Health care exec Rick Jackson has a narrow polling lead in the Republican primary.
“Republican candidates distancing themselves from President Trump’s success are in for a rude awakening and should pull a Geoff Duncan and switch to a different party,” one senior Georgia political operative told The Post, referencing the former lieutenant governor who left the GOP to become a Democrat last year.
Republicans are firing up their mid-decade redistricting push after the Indiana results and a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Louisiana map in a Voting Rights Act case, while facing predictions of a blue wave.
“It is indisputable and undeniable that the president is a real political force and people should obviously pay heed to it,” said South Carolina AG Alan Wilson, who is pushing a new plan to redraw his state’s congressional lines.
He says he phoned half a dozen state senators Thursday urging them to support legislation to extend South Carolina’s legislative session to redraw its map.
The move could cost Democrats a seat and endangers President Joe Biden pal Rep. James C. Clyburn (D-S.C.), the only black member of the state’s House delegation.
