(INDIANAPOLIS) - Tuesday's elections across Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan highlighted two growing political storylines heading toward the 2026 midterms: President Donald Trump still holds major influence inside the Republican Party, while Democrats continue gaining momentum in special elections and off-year contests.
Indiana became one of the biggest tests of Trump's political power after he targeted seven Republican state senators who opposed his push for congressional redistricting earlier this year.
Five Trump-backed challengers won their primary races Tuesday, while one incumbent survived and another race remained too close to call late Tuesday night.
Groups aligned with Trump and Governor Mike Braun reportedly spent more than 8 million dollars on advertising tied to the races.
Meanwhile in Ohio, voters finalized candidates for two closely watched statewide races.
Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown won his party's nomination for U.S. Senate and will face Republican Senator Jon Husted in November. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy also won the GOP nomination for governor and will face Democrat Amy Acton.
In Michigan, Democrats picked up another special election victory.
Democrat Chedrick Greene won a state Senate seat in a closely divided district in central Michigan, giving Democrats a stronger majority in the Michigan Senate.
Political analysts continue watching special elections and off-year races closely for signs about voter enthusiasm ahead of November's midterm elections.