Indiana Supreme Court rules for state senator over Trump-backed candidate in GOP primary recount

Indiana’s Supreme Court on Thursday ruled after a monthslong recount that a Republican state senator narrowly defeated his Trump-backed challenger in the GOP primary for the state Senate seat.

The court declared state Sen. Spencer Deery the winner of the Senate District 23 Republican primary in May, certifying that he beat challenger Paula Copenhaver by three votes and ordering that his name appear on the general election ballot in November. The court said Deery secured 6,335 votes to Copenhaver’s 6,332.

In the order, Chief Justice Loretta Rush said the court would issue a written opinion further explaining its reasons at a later