Trump Tests His Kingmaker Power in Ohio and Indiana Primaries as Ramaswamy Eyes Governorship

5 May 2026 | Columbus, Ohio / Indianapolis, Indiana

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The kingmaker is about to be tested. In Ohio and Indiana today, voters head to the polls in primaries that will reveal whether Donald Trump's endorsement still moves mountains – or whether his grip on the Republican Party is finally loosening.

Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is hoping to lock in his position as the GOP candidate in the race to become Ohio governor. Trump's endorsement has propelled the biotech entrepreneur to frontrunner status – but his campaign has been dogged by questions about his "likability problem."

The Ramaswamy Gamble: Trump's Man in Columbus

Much of Ramaswamy's campaign has been spent focused on November's election, as he positions himself for an expensive run against Dr Amy Acton, a former state health director running unopposed for the Democrats. But first, he must survive today's primary.

Though he is a newcomer in state politics, Ramaswamy's national profile, tech industry connections, and proximity to Trump landed him the Ohio Republican Party's endorsement. With it, he cleared a prospective field that included the sitting state attorney general, state treasurer, and lieutenant governor. But he still faces a long-shot challenge from car designer and YouTube provocateur Casey Putsch.

"[Ramaswamy] is a polarizing figure," said Jessica Taylor, an analyst for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, which forecasts US elections.

"What certainly indicated to me that there's just a likability problem for him was anytime you see a candidate's first ad featuring their wife and children. It certainly looks like it's trying to soften his image as a candidate."

Ohio's Senate Showdown: Brown vs Husted

The race with the highest national profile is Ohio's Senate special election, in which Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, is vying to unseat the Republican incumbent, Jon Husted, and return to the chamber after failing to win re-election in 2024. The winner will serve the final two years of the term JD Vance won in 2022, before he became vice-president last year.

Once a swing state that decided the 2004 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush before Democrat Barack Obama carried it in both his election victories, Ohio has become increasingly Republican since Trump's ascension. In 2024, the president won it by 12 percentage points.

But with Trump's approval ratings underwater – particularly on electorally potent issues like handling of the economy and prices – Democrats believe they may have a shot at getting Brown back into office.

Indiana's Revenge Primaries: Trump's $7 Million Vendetta

In Indiana, the vote has turned into a statewide referendum on political retribution. Seven state senators who voted against Trump's mid-decade redistricting push now face challengers endorsed by the president, who said that "every one of these people should be primaried" after the effort failed.

Trump-aligned dark money groups have spent upwards of $7 million on TV ads in Indiana this year, according to a tally from AdImpact – the majority spent targeting Republicans who allied themselves with Democrats in the December redistricting vote.

Greg Goode, a first-term Republican representative from Terre Haute, now faces a competitive race in district 38 against city council member Brenda Wilson – who received backing from both Indiana Governor Mike Braun and Trump – as well as a third candidate, Alexandra Wilson, who shares her last name but bears no relation.

Goode voted against Trump's redistricting push after hosting a town hall event in which 71 people spoke out against the revision and none spoke in favor.

Jim Buck, a state senator from Kokomo, also faces a Trump challenge, after 18 years in office.

"We've never had Washington meddle into our elections like they have this time," Buck told NPR. "Now I've got over $1 million against me in one race."

One ad takes aim at the 80-year-old public servant by calling him "old, pathetic, liberal."

The Bigger Picture: What November Holds

Winners in today's primaries will advance to the 3 November midterms, in which voters nationwide will elect all 435 House members, as well as 33 senators. Ohio is expected to play a major role in deciding whether Trump's fellow Republicans maintain control of Congress for the final two years of his term.

Every statewide executive office in Ohio is open this year due to term limits. The governor's race has captured the bulk of the attention, but the Senate special election and a handful of US House races are also expected to be closely fought in the fall.

In north-west Ohio, Republicans will also choose their party's nominee to take on Democratic representative Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in congressional history, whose district centered on Toledo has grown increasingly conservative under new maps a state redistricting commission approved last year. Republican candidates include former state house representative Derek Merrin (who lost to Kaptur in 2024 by less than 2,400 votes), former ICE deputy director Madison Sheahan, and state house representative Josh Williams.

Kaptur is considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the country.

What Comes Next?

Tonight's results will send clear signals about the Republican Party's direction. If Ramaswamy wins decisively, Trump's endorsement retains its power. If he struggles against a long-shot challenger, questions about his political viability will grow louder.

In Indiana, if the seven "traitor" senators survive Trump's onslaught, it will demonstrate that there are limits to the former president's influence – even in deep-red states. If they fall, the message will be clear: cross Trump at your own peril.

Either way, the stage is being set for November. And the battle for control of Congress has already begun.

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