Indiana recount commission finds Trump-backed challenger victorious

Published August 10, 2026 3:21pm ET



The Indiana Recount Commission on Monday moved to overturn the results of the May Republican primary election by throwing out three votes, handing the victory to a challenger backed by President Donald Trump in that state’s west-central Senate district.

Paula Copenhaver had originally fallen to incumbent state Sen. Spencer Deery, who was one of several state legislators being challenged by a Trump-supported candidate for voting against redistricting the state. Copenhaver finished the primary just three votes behind Deery and later filed a recount petition alleging voter fraud and claimed to have identified a handful of voters who voted in the Republican primary despite being Democrats.

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