Trump's 'joy' for crushing his enemies will backfire badly on the Republican Party

On Cinco de Mayo 2026, President Donald Trump visited Indiana in the hope of ousting eight GOP state lawmakers who opposed his redistricting efforts in that red state. Politico described the visit as part of a "revenge tour" that also includes supporting Republican challengers to two of federal lawmakers Trump is angry with: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana).

Trump was happy with the outcomes of the GOP primaries for Indiana State Legislature seats that Tuesday night, May 5: At least five of the eight seats went to MAGA Republicans Trump endorsed, and the Trump foes who lost won't be competing in the general election in November. It remains to be seen how those five will fare against Democratic nominees. And it also remains to be seen whether or not Trump will succeed in unseating Massie or Cassidy when GOP primaries are held in their states.

Never Trump conservative Bill Kristol examines Indiana's May 5 election results in an article published by The Bulwark the following day. And he argues that Trump's "joy" over ousting those five Indiana state lawmakers could be "short-lived."

"In Republican primary elections across Indiana," Kristol explains, "Trump-backed challengers deposed five Republican state senators who had helped block his wished-for gerrymander of the state's congressional districts. A sixth race was too close to call. And the incumbents who lost were conservative Republicans, albeit of a more traditional type…. So, Trump is happy, putting up celebratory posts on Truth Social."

Kristol continues, "He'll be happier still if he succeeds, ten days from now, in knocking off incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in the GOP primary, and then if Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) goes down to defeat three days later on May 19. The first result seems likely, the second quite possible. But Trump's joy at once again driving all dissenters from his ranks should be short-lived."

Trump is trying to make sure that Republican candidates who make it to the general election in the 2026 midterms are as MAGA as possible, but Kristol stresses that being ultra-MAGA could be a liability — not an asset — in November.

"If he's successful," Kristol says, "the Republican Party will be even more completely and totally his party. Which, given his steadily increasing unpopularity, will presumably further increase the likelihood of voters turning to Democratic candidates for both the House and Senate this November in order to check Trump. So Democrats have reasons to be happy, too. It's too bad that decent Indiana Republicans who stood up to Trump have to suffer in the process. But that's the choice of the Republican primary electorate, and the only solution for now is an even bigger Republican defeat in November."