A Republican state senator targeted over his opposition to last year’s failed redistricting effort appears to have narrowly defeated a primary challenger endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, led Paula Copenhaver by just two votes as of Monday, with three provisional ballots left to consider across Senate District 23.
The district covers all or parts of six counties spanning much of the area between Lafayette and Terre Haute.
The Parke County Election Board on Wednesday accepted one provisional ballot, which included a vote for Deery.
That brought his lead to three votes, meaning that even if the two remaining provisional ballots in Tippecanoe County go to Copenhaver during a Friday hearing, Deery would still be leading.
The unofficial tally gave Deery a 6,337-6,334 vote margin.
A provisional ballot allows a person to cast a vote if it’s unclear that they’re qualified to do so. The voter has 10 days after the election to give a county election board any required documentation or complete an affidavit on legal exceptions.
Copenhaver could still file for a recount, however.
A request seeking comment from her campaign on next steps wasn’t immediately returned on Wednesday.
Candidates have until noon on May 19 to file a verified recount or contest petition, while party chairs have until noon on May 22, according to the Indiana Election Division’s election calendar.
Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, urged Republican Secretary of State Diego Morales — who would chair the recount commission — to remove himself from any recount involving Deery. The three-member recount commission also includes another Republican member and a Democrat.
Morales “has deeply involved himself with a branch of Turning Point USA, which endorsed Deery’s primary opponent,” DeLaney said in a Wednesday news release.
He also pointed to Morales’ public support for last year’s congressional redistricting push. Morales attended a small rally at the Statehouse to endorse a map that aimed to create a 9-0 GOP advantage.
Morales’ office didn’t immediately return a request for comment on DeLaney’s statements.
Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com.
