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Trump’s grip over GOP tested as state senators who defied president challenged in key primaries
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It’s primary day in Republican-dominated Indiana, where President Donald Trump’s immense sway over the GOP is on the line, as his endorsements in key races will be tested.
In neighboring Ohio, another right-leaning state, some of Tuesday’s top primaries will tee up crucial general election showdowns in November’s midterm elections, when Republicans will be defending their slim Senate and razor-thin House majorities.
Two congressional incumbents in Indiana — Republican Rep. Jim Baird and Democratic Rep. Andre Carson — face serious primary challenges.
And in Ohio, Republicans will pick from a crowded primary field in the race to face off with vulnerable Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur.
TRUMP VS. HISTORY: HOW PRESIDENT’S POLL NUMBERS COMPARE TO BIDEN, OBAMA, BUSH AHEAD OF MIDTERMS
Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith announces the results of a vote to redistrict the state’s congressional map at the Statehouse in Indianapolis on Dec. 11, 2025. (Michael Conroy/AP Photo)
Indiana
Five months ago, Republicans in the GOP-dominated Indiana state Senate withstood immense pressure from Trump and his allies and voted down congressional redistricting, which would have given solidly red Indiana two more right-leaning U.S. House seats ahead of the midterms.
Fast-forward to today, and eight of those state senators are facing GOP primary challenges. Seeking retribution, the president endorsed challengers to seven of the eight Republican lawmakers who voted against the redistricting bill.
The president’s allies have shelled out more than $6 million to try to oust the state senators, according to the national ad tracking firm AdImpact. Among those in the political fight on behalf of the president are two national groups: Turning Point USA’s political wing and the Club for Growth. Also leading the charge are Hoosier Leadership for America and American Leadership PAC, which are aligned with GOP Sen. Jim Banks, a top Senate ally of the president. Groups allied with Republican Gov. Mike Braun are also part of the full court press.
The intra-party battle is seen not just as a test of fealty to Trump but rather a fight between MAGA forces and more traditional conservatives for the future of the GOP.
SIX MONTHS TILL MIDTERMS: THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE’S MAJORITY
President Donald Trump vowed in December 2025 to «take out» the Republican leader of the Indiana Senate after opposition to a congressional map he supported. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
«We’ve got to change those old-style Republicans, put in people who will fight, fight against the Democrat gerrymandering,» Club for Growth President David McIntosh told Fox News Digital.
McIntosh, a former congressman from Indiana, said, «I want to see my state do the right thing.»
But the besieged incumbents have significantly outraised their challengers, and have also been boosted by the Indiana Senate GOP caucus.
In an interesting side note, one of the races pits Trump versus his former Vice President Mike Pence.
Trump is backing challenger Tracey Powell, who is trying to take out state Sen. Jim Buck, who’s backed by Pence, a former Indiana governor and congressman.
A pro-Trump source involved in the Indiana showdowns told Fox News Digital that a victory would be considered winning half the seats, and anything beyond that would be a major win.
In western Indiana’s 4th Congressional District, the Trump-backed Baird is being challenged by state Rep. Craig Haggard. And in Indiana’s 7th Congressional District, Carson is facing three primary challenges, including Georgie Hornedo, a veteran of former President Barack Obama’s administration.
Ohio
Vivek Ramaswamy grabbed national attention when he ran for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination before dropping out and becoming a top Trump surrogate.
DEMOCRATS BUILD MIDTERM MOMENTUM BUT REPUBLICANS STILL IN DRIVER’S SEAT IN SENATE MAJORITY BATTLE
Vivek Ramaswamy, seen speaking at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 in Phoenix on Dec. 19, 2025, is running for Ohio governor. (Jon Cherry/AP)
Now, the multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and business leader is all but certain to capture the Republican gubernatorial nomination in his home state of Ohio.
Ramaswamy, who is backed by Trump, will face off in November against Dr. Amy Acton, a doctor and researcher who served as director of the state Department of Health from 2019 to 2020. Acton is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
The winner will succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine.
It’s a similar story in Ohio’s Senate primary, where appointed Republican Sen. Jon Husted, a former lieutenant governor, is unopposed in the GOP primary.
Former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is expected to cruise to his party’s nomination.
The winner will serve the final two years of the term of Vice President JD Vance, who stepped down from the Senate after the Trump-Vance ticket won the 2024 presidential election.
DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB
Sen. Jon Husted and former Sen. Sherrod Brown will face off in a highly anticipated Senate race in Ohio in November. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images ; Justin Merriman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Once a top general election battleground state, Ohio has shifted to the right over the past decade, with Trump carrying the state by 11 points in the 2024 election. But this year’s races for the Senate and governor are expected to be very competitive. And the Senate race is one of a handful across the country that may determine if the GOP holds the majority or if the Democrats flip the chamber.
In northwest Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, the 79-year-old Kaptur, who is already the longest serving woman in U.S. House history, is running for a 23rd two-year term.
But Kaptur, who barely won re-election in 2024, is now running in a district that’s even redder than it was two years ago, thanks to Republican-steered mid-decade redistricting.
Top non-partisan political handicappers The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato’s Crystal Ball give the GOP a slight edge in the general election showdown.
The packed field of GOP contenders fighting to take on Kaptur in November include former state Rep. Derek Merrin, who lost to the congresswoman by a razor-thin margin two years ago, former state Rep. Josh Williams, Air Force veteran Alea Nadeem, and former ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan.
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Republicans will also choose a nominee in the Cincinnati-based 1st District, where Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman is running for re-election.
Democrats will nominate a candidate in Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, south and west of Columbus, where they hope to take out Republican Rep. Mike Carey in November.
midterm elections, indiana, republicans elections, donald trump, ohio, democrats elections, campaigning
INTERNACIONAL
Former Olympian among those charged with vandalizing Reflecting Pool; Trump says basin must be drained: report
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Multiple people have been arrested this weekend after allegedly vandalizing the newly refurbished Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, prompting a strong response from President Donald Trump and an increase in security at the site.
In a statement on Truth Social Saturday night, Trump announced «many additional people» have been arrested after suspects «took some form of knife or blade, and put a 250-foot-long gash into the beautiful facade of what took so much work, competence, and money to build and complete.»
The president also alleged suspects «poured corrosive and destructive chemicals» into the basin.
«It hasn’t looked or worked like this since 1922, when it was originally built, but even then, it leaked badly, and didn’t work,» Trump wrote in the post. «Ours worked perfectly, including the mirror like finish, perfectly reflecting the two Great Monuments, which it never had before! What these terrible Vandals have done is a true affront to both Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and should be dealt with accordingly.»
TRUMP SAYS VANDALS USED CHEMICALS TO DAMAGE NEWLY RENOVATED REFLECTING POOL NEAR LINCOLN MEMORIAL
National Park Service employees and contractors use vacuums to remove green algae from the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Thursday, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Trump said administration officials met with contractors Saturday and will likely need to drain «much of the water» in order to do the necessary repairs.
It is unclear if the contractors mentioned are the same ones initially employed to carry out the renovations.
«[We] will have them done as quickly as possible,» the president wrote. «What they have damaged does not even include the earlier killing of a large amount of grass which was, by far, the least of it.
«… The Reflecting Pool was never so beautiful as it was just one week ago, even going back to 1922 when it opened. We are very proud of what we have done with this magnificent structure, and we will get it repaired, quickly, to an equal level of Beauty.»
The announcement came as the administration faces scrutiny over peeling paint and algae growth just weeks after a $14.8 million restoration project was completed.
While Trump did not specify who was responsible for the alleged gash in the lining and subsequent peeling, multiple arrests were documented over the weekend by local reporters.
Paint peels from the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. (Annabelle Gordon/Reuters)
TRUMP TAKES MOTORCADE INTO REFLECTING POOL, BLASTS PAST ‘$38M DISASTER’ FIX UNDER OBAMA
Journalist Emily Miller posted a two-minute video on X Friday showing a man in lime green racing gear questioning a National Guardsman before being handcuffed by U.S. Park Police.
The Washington Post later identified the man in Miller’s video as David Hearn, 67, a three-time Olympian who was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property.
Hearn told the outlet he had just finished a 52-mile bike ride when he noticed a «partially detached piece» of the new pool liner and «reached into the water to see what it felt like.»
The Bethesda, Maryland, native told The Associated Press he owned a company that made composite used to build watercraft.
Former U.S. Olympian David Hearn was arrested after allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. (David Madison/Getty Images, File)
While Miller claimed in her post that Hearn «grabbed» a hose that National Park Service workers were using to remediate algae growth, Hearn told The Washington Post the hose «may» only have been touched by his bike tire.
«I didn’t vandalize anything,» Hearn told the outlet.
Hearn, who was arrested in 1996 on charges of canoeing on the Potomac River but later had them dropped, said, «I didn’t destroy, break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already being handcuffed.»
National Guard members walk past a National Park Service employee using a vacuum to clean the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Friday, in Washington. D.C. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Miller reported that seven people were detained Friday and five people were detained Saturday in separate incidents, which has led to a major security surge.
In an earlier Truth Social post Saturday, Trump questioned, «Who would do such a thing?»
«These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments,» the president wrote. «Years in jail! Work will begin immediately on its repair.»
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The White House, U.S. Park Police and Miller did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.
vandalism, national guard, white house, parks, donald trump, police and law enforcement, washington dc
INTERNACIONAL
El Gobierno de Guatemala lanza un plan estatal para buscar a 45.000 desaparecidos de la guerra civil
Guatemala lanzó un plan estatal para buscar a 45,000 desaparecidos de la guerra civil, una deuda abierta desde el conflicto armado interno que dejó al menos 200,000 muertos y desaparecidos entre 1960 y 1996. El presidente Bernardo Arévalo presentó el mecanismo como una vía para localizar a las víctimas con participación de autoridades, familias y organizaciones humanitarias, en un proceso que, según remarcó, no reemplaza las causas judiciales.
El programa tendrá una vigencia de 10 años y funcionará entre 2026 y 2036. El diseño incluyó 67 encuentros nacionales con la participación de 775 familiares y organizaciones de derechos humanos, y prevé además la creación de un Archivo Nacional de Memoria a partir de bases de datos dispersas que serán digitalizadas por el Poder Judicial.
Arévalo hizo el anuncio el viernes al presentar oficialmente el Mecanismo de Búsqueda Humanitaria de Personas Desaparecidas durante el Conflicto Armado Interno 2026-2036. “Iniciamos un camino para encontrar a quienes nos faltan, para sanar una herida abierta por la historia”, dijo el mandatario.
El presidente guatemalteco sostuvo además que el nuevo instrumento apunta a establecer el paradero de las víctimas mediante un trabajo coordinado. En ese marco, precisó que “no sustituye la aplicación de la justicia”.
La presentación del mecanismo reunió la promesa oficial de búsqueda con el reclamo histórico de los familiares de las víctimas. Pablo Estrada, presidente de la Asociación de Familiares de Detenidos y Desaparecidos de Guatemala, definió el anuncio como una “pequeña luz” después de décadas de búsqueda de personas cuyo “único delito fue pensar distinto”.
Estrada habló en el mismo acto en el que se oficializó el plan. Allí recordó que su organización promovió en las últimas décadas procesos de exhumación de 1.800 osamentas de “víctimas del terrorismo de Estado”, de las cuales el 30% fue identificado y entregado a sus familias.
Arévalo anunció el mecanismo; Estrada expuso el límite de los esfuerzos previos. El Gobierno promete articular instituciones y tecnología para localizar a los desaparecidos, mientras las familias piden que esa estructura permita ingresar a lugares donde hasta ahora no hubo acceso y donde sospechan que puede haber restos de víctimas.
El activista advirtió que la búsqueda “conlleva riesgos” y colocó un punto de tensión sobre la eficacia real del plan. Expresó su expectativa de que el nuevo mecanismo abra las puertas de recintos militares a los que se les negó el acceso pese a “denuncias sustentadas” de que allí “existen cementerios clandestinos”.
Ese señalamiento vincula la dimensión humanitaria del programa con una demanda concreta de acceso a información y lugares sensibles. La promesa oficial de que el mecanismo no reemplazará a la justicia convive así con un reclamo de larga data: que la búsqueda avance también sobre espacios bajo control militar.
La estrategia presentada por el Gobierno incluye el uso de inteligencia artificial para identificar patrones, recopilar macroprocesos y procesar documentación masiva del régimen militar. También prevé que el Poder Judicial digitalice y organice bases de datos dispersas para construir un Archivo Nacional de Memoria unificado.
El anuncio se produjo en el marco del aniversario del acuerdo de paz firmado con la Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca. Según la presentación oficial, el plan se inscribe en la conmemoración del pacto cuya efeméride se cumplirá el 29 de diciembre.
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Keir Starmer reportedly considering stepping down as PM and could announce timetable for departure
British PM Keir Starmer could face leadership challenge amid internal troubles
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces significant internal pressure following Andy Burnham’s special election win, potentially triggering a leadership contest. Starmer is under fire for economic pressures, illegal immigration issues, and controversies surrounding his previous role in prosecuting grooming gangs. Elon Musk also accused Starmer of complicity.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly considering stepping down and could announce a timetable for his departure as early as Monday, according to a report published Saturday.
Britain’s Observer newspaper reported that Starmer was discussing his future with his wife at his Chequers country residence before making a final decision.
The outlet reported that senior Labour Party figures expect a statement addressing his future as early as next week.
A government source told Reuters that Starmer remains focused on governing and pointed to previous comments in which he vowed to remain in office.
AS EPSTEIN-LINKED APPOINTMENT SPARKS BACKLASH, UK PM STARMER FACES PARTY REVOLT AMID RESIGNATION CALLS
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer awaits Switzerland’s Federal President Guy Parmelin on the sidelines of the G7 summit, in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday. (Isabel Infantes/Pool Reuters via AP)
Fox News Digital has reached out to the prime minister’s office for comment.
Pressure on Starmer has been building for months amid growing dissatisfaction within his party and concerns over the government’s handling of the economy and cost-of-living issues.
The political threat to Starmer intensified Friday after rival Andy Burnham won a seat in Parliament, positioning him to mount a formal leadership challenge.
LABOUR MP PUTS CABINET ‘ON NOTICE,’ THREATENS TO TRIGGER LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE AGAINST STARMER BY MONDAY
Britain’s Labour party candidate Andy Burnham speaks to supporters after the Makerfield by-election in Ashton in Makerfield, England, Friday. (Jon Super/AP)
Starmer congratulated Burnham following the victory, writing on X that voters, «chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate.»
When asked about Burnham’s apparent ambitions to replace him, Starmer insisted he intends to remain in office.
«I’ve said repeatedly I’m not going to walk away from that,» Starmer said.
UK’S STARMER JUGGLES TROUBLE AT HOME AS HE WALKS GEOPOLITICAL TIGHTROPE WITH TRUMP
Sir Keir Starmer is battling to save his position and refusing to stand aside despite dozens of Labout MP’s demanding he resigns. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Starmer has led the Labour Party since 2020 and became prime minister in 2024.
Calls for his resignation intensified last month, with more than 100 Labour lawmakers publicly urging him to step aside or set out a timetable for his departure. Several parliamentary aides also resigned in protest.
The internal revolt followed a series of disappointing local election results for Labour, which lost hundreds of council seats across England, surrendered long-held ground in Wales and fell behind political rivals in Scotland.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks a news conference at Downing Street in London, March 5. (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images, File)
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Starmer’s popularity has also declined amid a persistently high cost of living, sluggish economic growth and criticism over his acceptance of gifts from wealthy donors.
Fox News Digital’s James Cirrone and Emma Bussey, and Reuters contributed to this report.
uk politics, elections, united kingdom, world
Former Olympian among those charged with vandalizing Reflecting Pool; Trump says basin must be drained: report
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Florida court says 18-year-olds have same gun rights as other adults
