Indiana Supreme Court Declares Spencer Deery Winner of GOP Senate Primary Over Trump-Backed Challenger

In a one-page opinion, the Indiana Supreme Court voted to reverse the Indiana Recount Commission’s certification of Paula Copenhaver as the winner of the May Republican primary for Senate District 23. The court instructed that Spencer Deery’s name be placed on the ballot, effectively confirming his narrow three-vote advantage from the initial count. The dispute stemmed from the commission’s disqualification of six absentee ballots lacking a county clerk’s stamp, which had given Copenhaver a three-vote lead.

Deery, a first-term senator, hailed the decision as a protection of voter rights, while Copenhaver warned that the ruling could allow inauthentic ballots to be counted. The case concludes a legal fight that began after the primary and reflects broader tensions over Trump’s attempts to unseat state legislators who resisted his agenda. The court said a detailed written opinion will follow at a later date.