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On Politics

Wed May 6 2026

Kathryn Palmer | Politics Reporter

@KathrynPlmr

Hello readers, happy Wednesday. Kathryn Palmer here. We've got some election results for you out of Ohio and Indiana. Let's get into today's news.

Biggest winner in Indiana elections? Trump.

In yesterday's midterm primary elections in Indiana, the majority of the state's Republican legislators who opposed President Donald Trump's plan to redraw congressional maps lost their seats, a victory for the president and his control on the party.

Six of the seven GOP incumbents on the ballot who opposed the Hoosier State creating new boundaries for its federal delegation in Washington lost their races.

The president's allies spent millions in those usually sleepy state legislative races, underscoring how far the White House is willing to go as GOP-controlled states across the country move rapidly to create new congressional boundaries.

Indiana wasn't the only state where voters headed to the polls yesterday. In Ohio, Trump ally and former GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy handily won the Republican gubernatorial primary. Ramaswamy is set to face Democrat Amy Acton, who won her party's nomination after running uncontested.

In a special Senate primary to fill the seat vacated when Vice President JD Vance was inaugurated, Sherrod Brown won the Democratic primary, and Republican John Husted, who was appointed to Vance's seat, ran uncontested for the GOP nomination.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance alongside his son Vivek, votes at a polling location at St. Anthony of Padua Maronite Catholic Church in the state's primary election, in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. May 5, 2026.

ROBERTO SCHMIDT, via REUTERS

A politics roundup:

•	Michigan special election results: A firefighter's win seals a blue Senate seat
•	Pentagon says Iran war has cost $25 billion − see how that measures up against other federal spending
•	A Secret Service agent was charged with indecent exposure at a Miami hotel
•	In the heart of Memphis, a redistricting push revives a civil rights fight

Gallery: Remembering the life of CNN founder Ted Turner

Trump says bombing will resume if Iran doesn't agree to peace

Trump today ramped up threats on Iran amid an ongoing ceasefire, writing on social media that if the Iranian government did not agree to a framework for peace talks, the U.S.-led bombing would continue.

Trump said on social media the war could end if Iran agrees to U.S. terms and allows commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz − conditions that Iran has repeatedly rejected. If Tehran doesn't agree, the president said bombing would resume "at a much higher level and intensity," which would break the fragile ceasefire in place since April 7.

His appeal for peace came after he paused "Project Freedom," an effort launched Monday to move U.S. commercial vessels through the critical shipping channel. Military leaders said a few U.S. vessels safely passed through the strait in the operation, but Iran restarted its attacks on commercial vessels and neighboring Gulf states.

Trump reignites feud with Pope ahead of Rubio's Vatican visit

Appearing on a conservative podcast, Trump is once again hammering Pope Leo XIV over his outspoken opposition to the Iran war, prompting a response from the religious leader and reigniting tensions just days before Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit the Vatican.

The president said the pontiff was "just fine" with Iran having nuclear weapons, and alleged he was "endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people."

The pope, who has consistently raised objections to the war and called for immediate peace, responded directly to the president's podcast comments, speaking to reporters outside his residence in Italy yesterday.

"For years, the Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt on that point,” the pontiff said, and later added that "if someone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let him do so truthfully.”

Before you go:

Looking for a clear, monthly roadmap to the 2026 midterms? Our new election guide Reddit thread tracks key primaries, plus all the resources you may need as a voter (registration, deadlines, ID rules, absentee/mail voting and more). Catch the May update with local USA TODAY Network reporting and bookmark the guide for future editions.

💬We also want to hear from you! What questions do you have for our team as we get closer to November? Is there a race you’re watching closely? Let us know by jumping in the comments on Reddit or responding to this newsletter.

Thanks for reading! Scroll down for more stories. You can reach me at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @ KathrynPlmr.