Indiana Senator Jim Banks warned that Republicans who oppose Donald Trump’s position on redistricting could face significant backlash from GOP voters in May’s primary elections, according to a Sunday interview.
“I stood with the president to support redistricting,” Banks said during the televised appearance. “While intraparty contests are healthy, Trump’s influence will still shape the outcome of Indiana’s May primary elections.”
Banks noted that Donald Trump remains the most popular Republican in Indiana, citing recent polling data: “You don’t want to be on the other side of Donald Trump.”
The senator credited Trump’s endorsement for his political rise, stating: “He endorsed me when I ran for the Senate. He cleared the field and I’m a senator today largely because of that endorsement.”
Banks emphasized that the stakes extend beyond internal party politics: “It’s not about Donald Trump. It’s about the country.” He linked the redistricting debate to maintaining the Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
In an unexpected pivot, Banks addressed national security concerns, accusing former President Joe Biden of fueling a growing ISIS threat. He pointed to this weekend’s deadly ambush in Syria that killed two U.S. soldiers and an interpreter as evidence of ISIS resurgence.
“We saw the rise of ISIS around the world under the Biden years,” Banks said, recalling his service in Afghanistan where he witnessed the emergence of ISIS-K following a “disastrous withdrawal” by the Biden administration.
Banks added: “Now we’re seeing it again, rear its head in Syria and other places.” He pledged that “there will be hell to pay for those who are responsible” for the attack.
The senator praised Trump’s handling of ISIS, stating: “Donald Trump rooted out and took out the ISIS caliphate in his first term without starting another forever war.” Banks affirmed he would support Trump on the Armed Services Committee.
Banks also highlighted pending defense legislation as critical for restoring military readiness and modernizing the armed forces after what he called a “step backward” under Biden’s administration. He praised recent strikes targeting drug trafficking, framing them as part of Trump’s efforts to combat fentanyl and overdose deaths.
“The president is doing exactly what he was elected to do,” Banks said. “Trump’s actions are aimed at preventing overdose deaths and punishing those behind the flow of drugs.”
Banks concluded by noting public support: “71% of Americans support what President Trump is doing on that front, and I stand with him, too.”
