Indiana Senator Warns GOP Primary Chaos Looms as Trump Backing Fades

Indiana Senator Jim Banks warned Sunday that Republicans who oppose President Donald Trump’s stance on redistricting face imminent backlash from GOP voters during Indiana’s May primary elections, according to remarks made in a televised interview.

“I stood with the president to support redistricting,” Banks stated, adding that while intraparty contests are healthy, Trump’s influence will still shape the outcome of Indiana’s primary race. “Donald Trump remains the most popular Republican in the state of Indiana,” Banks said. “I’ve seen all the polling—recent polling shows you don’t want to be on the other side of Donald Trump.”

Banks credited Trump’s endorsement for his political rise, noting that the former president supported him during his Senate campaign. “He cleared the field and I’m a senator today largely because of that endorsement,” Banks added.

The senator emphasized that the stakes extend beyond internal party dynamics. “It’s not about Donald Trump. It’s about the country,” he said. “It’s about keeping the Republican majority in the House of Representatives and addressing issues like health care while saving this nation from those who want to tear it down.”

Banks also identified specific Indiana Republicans who broke with Trump, predicting they will face scrutiny defending their votes to constituents. Shifting focus to national security, he blamed former President Joe Biden’s foreign policy for a resurgence of ISIS threats, citing this weekend’s ambush in Syria that killed two U.S. soldiers and an interpreter.

“We saw the rise of ISIS around the world under the Biden years,” Banks said. “I served in Afghanistan, and we saw ISIS-K rise after the disastrous withdrawal by the Biden administration.” Now, “we’re seeing it again,” he added, vowing “hell to pay” for those responsible for the attack.

Banks defended Trump’s approach to combating ISIS, stating the president “rooted out and took out the ISIS caliphate in his first term without starting another forever war.” He also praised pending defense legislation as critical for restoring military readiness and modernizing the armed forces after a decline under Biden’s administration.

Additionally, Banks highlighted recent strikes targeting drug trafficking as part of Trump’s efforts to combat fentanyl and overdose deaths. “President Trump is doing exactly what he was elected to do,” Banks said. “He’s saving American lives—our sons, our daughters, our neighbors—and holding those responsible accountable.” Citing public support for the president’s actions, Banks noted that “71% of Americans support what President Trump is doing on that front, and I stand with him too.”