INDIANA — The Indiana Recount Commission ruled on Monday that Paula Copenhaver defeated incumbent Spencer Deery in the Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 23. The commission discarded eight ballots cast for Deery and two ballots cast for Paula Copenhaver, resulting in a victory for Copenhaver by a margin of three votes.

Deery held a three-vote lead prior to the recount. The Indiana Recount Commission rejected ballots because they lacked the signature of the county clerk or initials from election judges. State law requires absentee ballots to be initialed by both a Republican and a Democratic election judge and bear the signature and seal of the county clerk.

"What was most remarkable about today’s hearing was that voter intent was never in question," Indiana State Senator Deery said. "None of the ballots challenged were discarded because there was uncertainty about whom the voter intended to support. The disputes instead centered on technicalities resulting from errors by government officials."

Deery stated he would appeal the recount decision. Samantha DeWester, counsel for Deery, stated she plans to appeal to the Indiana Court of Appeals. "We are confident Indiana’s appellate courts will restore the vote totals that have been counted and recounted and reaffirm the choice voters made in Senate District 23," he said.

"Today, we saw members of the Indiana Recount Commission attempt to undermine the will of voters by treating ballots differently based on whether they furthered the president’s political goals," he said. "This was not a meeting intended to find fairness; it was designed to find votes." The Indiana Recount Commission consists of Republican Secretary of State Diego Morales plus one member from each party.

President Donald Trump endorsed Paula Copenhaver in the primary. Paula Copenhaver is an aide to Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith. Deery was one of seven Republican Indiana state senators who voted against a redrawn congressional map supported by President Trump. Five of the seven Republican Indiana state senators who opposed the redistricting map lost their primary elections.

Senator Greg Goode was the only Republican Indiana state senator who opposed the redistricting map and won his primary election. Indiana Senate President Rod Bray announced he would not seek another term as Republican leader. Rod Bray voted against the Trump-backed redistricting map. "I want to thank the Great State of Indiana for your support, not only in my Presidential Election, which we won with the Highest Vote in the History of the State, but also for your support in getting rid of wayward Senators, led down the Path of Destruction by a FOOL named Rodric Bray," President of the United States Donald Trump said.

The primary elections for the Indiana Senate took place on May 5. Deery assumed office as a member of the Indiana Senate from the 23rd district on November 22, 2022.

The ruling reverses the initial outcome of the May 5 primary and shifts control of the seat to a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump. The decision occurs within a broader pattern in which five of the seven Republican Indiana state senators who opposed the Trump-supported redistricting map lost their primary elections. This trend includes the announcement by Indiana Senate President Rod Bray that he would not seek another term as Republican leader after voting against the map.

Why It Matters

The ruling shifts the seat to a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump, continuing a pattern where five of seven Republican state senators who opposed his redistricting map lost their primary elections. Deery's legal team argues the decision rests on technical errors by officials rather than voter intent, setting up an appellate challenge to the vote totals. This outcome alters the composition of the Indiana Senate following the May 5 primary.