A test of Trump's sway in Indiana at play ahead of the primaries.

Hoosier cannabis use on the rise despite stringent laws and Snap operations coming to Indiana.

From the television studios at WFYI Public Media.

It's Indiana Week in Review for the week ending May 1st, 2026.

Indiana Week in Review is produced by WFYI in association with Indiana Public Broadcasting stations.

Additional support is provided by ParrRichey .

A fight to unseat Indiana Republicans as a test of President Donald Trump's power after Senate Republicans voted against Trump's redistricting plan.

The president vowed to primary all who had opposed him.

Ben Thorp reports one district where incumbent Republican Spencer Deery is being challenged by Paula Copenhaver Trump has endorsed primary challengers against nearly all of the Republicans who voted against him and are up for reelection.

Copenhaver says the failure of Indiana Republicans to vote for redistricting could have national political consequences.

It could be the difference between a major party in Washington, D.C., for the Republicans or not.

Outside groups at the national level have committed millions to help Copenhaver and other primary challengers win in Indiana, according to Indiana campaign finance reports.

Deery is outspending Copenhaver nearly 50 to 1.

But dairy says outside PAC spending on Copenhaver behalf is already well over $1 million.

Like Copenhaver, dairy also describes this fight over redistricting as an existential one.

I think we do need to have some tough conversations as as conservatives.

Indiana's primary is May 5th.

So what will be the outcome of these races next week on Election Day?

It's the first question for our Indiana Weekend Review panel.

Democrat Laura Beck.

Republican Chris Mitchem, Jon Schwantes host of Indiana lawmakers.

And Samantha Horton, reporter and newscaster at WFYI.

I'm Jill Sheridan, managing editor at WFYI.

So, Laura, do you have any predictions?

I think it's funny that you're starting with the Democrat or Republican asking this question.

I guess the way I would like to approach this is let's just actually take a step back and look at how we got to this incredibly extraordinary moment.

Right.

We are in this situation with these primaries because Donald Trump is so terrified of losing in the midterms that he has leaned on and coerced state Republican legislatures and governors to change the rules of mid, of redistricting mid cycle.

So he can his party can win in the midterms.

And to me I mean, you know, Jon, you might feel this way.

We've been around a while.

I mean, it really feels extraordinary that this is the situation we're in.

And I don't remember in my lifetime working in this, you know, working in this business of such divisive, terrible primaries.

And it's all in the name of Donald Trump.

It's not in the name of good policy.

It's all in the name of one guy who wants to bend the rules to win.

I made a prediction.

Well, yeah, I mean.

I was waiting for the prediction.

You know.

I said I was an old guy.

I just hear the prediction.

You wanted to make sure you were listening.

There are seven candidates that Trump backed here in Indiana, Chris.

And, everybody around the nation is going to be watching, you know, to see what happens on Election Day next week.

is it going to be a test of Trump's power?

I think so, because I think the prevailing thought around Trump's influence right now is that it's degrading around the country.

And I think you've seen that in certain elections.

But there really hasn't been any evidence that that's the case in Indiana.

in fact, I think, whatever initial polling came out after Trump handed out all these endorsements, you saw 20 point swings in some races of people being like, okay, this is Trump's guy, then that's who I'm going to vote for.

So I do think this is almost an extreme test of just how popular is Trump still in a stronghold bastion like Indiana is for him, and it's the lowest point.

It is extraordinary because I think you have political ramifications from these races on all three levels of government.

You have the federal government where you just mentioned President Trump is weighing in.

Senator Jim Banks has put in a strange amount of time and effort into a lot of these races.

and then also on the state level, you know, you have Attorney General Todd Rokita and Governor Braun weighing in sometimes on opposite sides in races, which I think is really fascinating.

And then obviously at the state legislature level, there could be a lot of political ramifications of the Senate.

Races go certain ways just because, you know, if the goal is to get new leadership in the Senate.

you know, I would consider, Senator Bray, Senator, long before him, even all the way back to Garten, if you want to go back that far, really institutionalist when it comes to, you know, making sure we move slowly, we move proactively, but also making sure we make the right decisions for Hoosiers.

If the leadership changes in that, you know, that you could see a change in strategy from Speaker Todd Houston and how he manages different bills in his caucus, being now that the Senate has kind of a different outlook and a different perspective of how they manage issues.

And, Jon, so much money.

I've heard many, you know, people say they've never seen this type of money spent for an Indiana primary, like.

Absolutely the case.

I mean, there have been a few high profile races, leadership positions that have elicited significant contributions in the past, but nothing along the lines of this, where you have that many zeros behind the first number in the campaign finance reports, and it's going to be telling I think the, the, the numbers are pretty much a wash when you look at the dollars that have come in from both sides, not only from some of the external PACs and super PACs, but even some of the candidates, the Republican senators who opposed redistricting, who, aren't up for election right now.

They are, funneling some of their, campaign dollars into this as well.

So there is a real, split here that's forming.

It's going to be closely watched nationally this and like the the Massie, congressional primary down in Kentucky, this one, a few others can can trump, the conventional wisdom that he can pick and choose who he wants.

in primaries hold true.

I kind of think that I won't necessarily make a prediction.

I'll go a little further than you did.

I don't think that just as the outside influences rang hollow, back during the redistricting debate, and to the extent that this is framed not as are you a Trump loyalist or not, but rather as are you uncomfortable with outsiders in DC dictating what we Hoosiers do to the extent that that message is conveyed and received, it might not be a terrible day for incumbents, to hold on to, if not all of the seats at play.

a majority of.

Them, I guess I would say one prediction, that to satisfy Jon, the need for me to answer the question.

I do come from PR, so I tell people not to answer the question.

but I do think one prediction is there will be deep, deep frictions and a deep crater in relationships.

there may be primaries can be really incredibly negative anyway.

And sometimes it's hard for people to come back together.

I think Republicans are often better at coming together after a primary than Democrats are.

But I think it can be very interesting.

And one of my one of my predictions is it's going to be really hard for people to get over this one.

we're hearing a lot of theories, Samantha.

You know, this week we're hearing that, you know, maybe this is all just to target, President Pro Tem Bray and and get him out of leadership.

Do you think people are just trying to, make predictions at this point and and figure out what's going on?

I think, you know, I think a lot of this we're going to find out Tuesday.

I think a lot of it is, you know, we have some you know, early voting is in play right now.

But, you know, Tuesday is going to be when we really see.

And I think it's going to be a message for, you know, we've seen it like what was mentioned earlier, a split in the Republican Party really of like between those who during redistricting said, I'm listening to my constituents, I want to do what's what they're saying they want me to do.

And then those who wanted to follow more along with President Donald Trump and the Trump administration with redistricting.

And so I think it's going to be a huge test, and it's going to be also then strategizing ahead for the general election, because I think based on what happens Tuesday, it's going to be an indicator of where people are feeling, and that's going to have to be related into everything else that's at play, too, with like the economy right now and all that.

So there's going to be a lot of, I think, Tuesday night, I have no doubt Republican strategists are going to be heavily watching it and then figuring out what are the next steps.

I do think, you know, the the ads that are in full force right now as, across the state, you know, and the idea that, people are in Indiana supporting their, their local leaders whom they know.

Do you think that will come into play?

Chris.

Yeah, I think so, because when when you are the side that is going after these people that vote against redistricting, all you're saying is Trump, right?

You're not really hearing a lot about property taxes or schools or anything like that.

It's these ads have their picture and Donald Trump and say, vote for me because that's the why.

And again, going back to my point about how Trump has dominated typically in Indiana, I don't blame them for thinking that could be a good strategy.

But when have you come to so many national organizations, bring outside money, you know you're going up against these local folks who have the grassroots establishment already, who know their local leaders, who know their commissioners.

So I think it's really going to be a test of Trump versus these people who have these strong relationships in their districts.

The world watching not to forget is the folks who are getting these mailers are also spending upwards of five, six, $7 to fill their gas tank up every day, or at once a week or a couple times a week.

And so the Donald Trump is the reason why, because of the actions in Iran that we are really faced with some of that.

So that's also not lost on voters too.

So the economy part is going to be really interesting how that plays out.

Yeah.

Primaries don't always stating the obvious here don't always produce the best general election candidates.

So if you have in the way the primaries I mean for the our audience is smart enough.

They get this, you know, on the right you run to the right in the primary.

If you're a Democrat, you run to the left because that's where the activity is on primary day and in primary voting.

But again, is that the best person to cross over with appeal to people on both sides of the aisle.

Now I have not studied.

We were so focused on congressional districts, I haven't studied as much.

The Indiana State, Senate districts, they may be I think they're all lopsided Republican, but depending on how things go nationally, if if Donald Trump becomes more of a lightning rod with gas prices with unease over what's happening in the Middle East, maybe being a one trick pony tied to Donald Trump will not yield the kind of benefit come November that it did, if, in fact, it does in May.

Well, we'll see next week.

Head to the polls on Tuesday, May 5th for Election Day.

It's now time for viewer viewer feedback.

Every week we post an unscientific online poll question.

This week's question well, Trump's threat to get rid of senators who voted against redistricting be successful during the primary election.

Vote yes or no.

The last question posed to viewers Will the states move to restrict CDL licenses for non-citizens?

Improve highway safety?

47% saying yes and 53% say no.

If you would like to take part in the poll, go to WFYI.org/i w I r and look for the poll.

Indiana has some of the most stringent marijuana laws in the country.

Despite that use among adults has risen over the past decade.

Caroline Beck reports on a new analysis that examines the impact of Indiana's cannabis policy.

Marijuana is largely illegal in Indiana, but Hoosiers are still spending around $1.8 billion annually on the products.

That's because most Hoosiers can access it from three of our neighboring states that sell it recreationally.

The report, commissioned by the Richard M Fairbanks Foundation, also shows that arrests related to marijuana have cost the state between 10 to $20 million per year.

Emmy Whitesell at the Fairbanks Foundation says that even if recreational use was legalized, all of the legal costs would not go away.

It turns out that the cost to set up and regulate a cannabis system could actually outweigh any criminal justice savings that we have as a state.

Governor Mike Braun has signaled a willingness to address marijuana policy.

So Chris, will Indiana always lag behind in pot policy.

Yeah.

I mean, if you look at the latest actions from the state House as evidence, I believe Senate Bill 250 last year was probably the only bill in the country that actually would have moved a state backwards in terms of access to THC type products.

what it would have done is, would have mirrored, Indiana's THC definition with the latest federal changes that closed what they call the Delta eight Delta nine loophole.

And if that bill would have passed in Indiana, effectively would have just eliminated the Delta Delta nine market as we know it because it would have been deemed illegal.

So, you know, that Bill advanced out of the entire Senate chamber.

It advanced out of a House committee, but ultimately died on the House floor before it could be passed.

So that's the trajectory right now in Indiana is actually moving backwards.

And the report is interesting because obviously, you know, the billions of dollars are notable numbers, but those are the arguments that the pro THC folks have been using for years now in Indiana, and it just hasn't worked.

This issue really more is really more based on principle, I would say.

And then all you have to do is go to a committee room in the state House.

Anytime one of these bills are up, you have law enforcement testifying against increased access.

You have school officials testifying against increased access.

You even have this really weird infighting in the THC industry of pro marijuana.

People coming and testify in support of bills that would roll back the Delta eight, Delta nine, because if and when marijuana policy does get, momentum in Indiana, they want to make sure it's their products on the front line and not these Delta eight, Delta nine hemp folks that's available in Indiana right now.

So if you're a lawmaker, you can easily go back to your constituents and say, I have cops, I have teachers, and I have even people in the industry saying this isn't a good idea.

And that's why, you know, you're seeing maybe not as much momentum as people want.

Laura, the report, though, points to, you know, easy access for people in Indiana.

You know, and certainly we are starting to hear from some lawmakers, even Braun himself, who has expressed a willingness but might be too late because federal is also making moves.

Well, I think what first of all, I want to say kudos to the Fairbanks Foundation for really igniting this conversation, because this is one that we need to have.

And I sometimes I laugh because, former state rep Mike, Mike Murphy has always said we will legalize marijuana when we need the money.

And I think we're going to get to a point where we are going to need the money.

And when you think that this is 1.8 billion, that is going to other states, there is tax revenue that we are not capturing that we could be putting toward roads, education, back into law enforcement.

You know, we could be doing all of those different pieces for it.

And I think if you have a thoughtful and a careful and a reasonable policy that is put together, I think it can work because it's in other states and because we are losing these funds.

I mean, there is a very strong economic argument for doing it.

But it's actually fascinating you bring that up because that reminds me of last budget cycle when they increase the cigarets that was signed up.

It was for years.

We're not going to do that.

We're not going to increase taxes.

All of a sudden you get a revenue forecast of $2 billion.

Sure.

And within.

Two days it.

Was already.

We're increasing the cigarette taxes, so That's Mike Murphy, not me.

Yeah.

I mean, the report had some interesting information, Samantha, about arrests and also how much it will cost the state to set up, you know, a system of, having cannabis, being sold.

do you think that really money is is the issue here?

I don't, I don't I mean, I don't think it's money necessarily.

I mean, we look at to like, Indianapolis Marion County Prosecutor Rick Mears has decided he won't pursue cases up to a certain point.

Like, you know, like for small amounts of marijuana, he will not pursue a case because it's just not financially worth his office doing that.

So I think there is, I mean, I think based off of when I reported on it in the past, even talking to folks, the promises, Indiana is now behind the ball.

When you look at all the other states that are allowed for it to be, whether it's, you know, medicinal or just recreational, that allows the industry.

And so people are investing in those states.

So now Indiana is going to have to if they do, when they do, they're going to at how to entice some of these companies that are at this point set up around this Indiana.

And then why would they bother?

You know, there's a question of like, would they bother investing in Indiana when they're right there on the border and they can just ship product in and not have to?

So I think there is like a moment of, you know, is Indiana like how are when and how are they going to get that money?

I mean, Jon, do you think that lawmakers will make any moves or are they just going to wait until I see?

Do you think it has the potency that it had?

a few years ago.

And I've used this.

Oh, you think everything's going to be a pun now?

You know, used to be, a lot of politicians were promising pot in every chicken.

And, now that's really obscure when you'll think about that at 2 a.m.. you're too young to understand the chicken in every pot, but, well, we'll get back to the Eisenhower or the Roosevelt days later, but, you know, I, I've pointed out before that you had a Democratic state chair who said the three most important issues for his party and its candidates were marijuana legalization, marijuana legalization, marijuana legalization, not so much.

Now, I just think other issues, the bread and butter issues, the economy.

How much is gas?

How much?

can I afford a home?

Can I find a home or a place to live?

These issues, I think, have sort of muscle the side, have taken the oxygen out of the smoke filled room.

All right.

And, sorry to stop me before I do harm, but, Well, I don't know.

But I think, too I mean, it has been legislation has been presented by Republican lawmakers, and it still has failed to meet traction.

So I think that's just.

If you had VFW or American Legion years ago saying, which sort of didn't, that broke the old stereotypes.

And now you have a lot of the opponents in Indiana traditionally, who have said, we can't be away from federal classification.

We have to be in alignment now that that move is underway, that takes away a clear cut argument as to why we can't be out of sync with federal law.

Also, the federal program that administers food assistance to Americans is moving to Indianapolis.

Caroline Beck reports.

The move coincides with the launch of a new Food and Nutrition Administration agency announced this week.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or Snap, serves roughly 40 million Americans every month.

Now, it appears that the program will be run out of Indiana through a local hub that was part of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture restructuring.

Last year, USDA officials announced that Indianapolis would be one of five hub locations where the department would spread its operations.

Officials at the time said the move was in part, a response to the high cost of living in D.C.

it is not expected to affect the operation of assistance programs.

Other nutrition programs will move to hubs in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Colorado, so.

So, Jon, is this a win for Indiana?

I mean, it is the biggest food assistance program in the country.

Yeah, I guess any time if jobs are going to be somewhere and if a federal agency is going to have a hub somewhere, five places now, new ones outside of DC, I guess all things considered, it's better than not having it.

we don't know how many of the 24, 25, 2600 jobs that are currently Washington based will be moved?

will there be a reduction?

I mean, we've seen that when the Forest Service was moved and some of the inland management were moved out of DC to Western states, there was a lot of reduction in workforce, too.

So I wouldn't assume that all 2600 jobs, never mind the people who occupy the jobs.

I don't think they're all going to move, but even the jobs may not be as plentiful as we assume now.

But again, is it good to have it again?

Better than not good.

Sure.

I mean, I don't know if it's great for our brand, though, that we get snap instead of, you know, some of the other agencies that maybe NASA might have a little more sex appeal or NIH or.

Dyslexia.

Or some of the others.

but hey, jobs are jobs federal agencies, a federal agency?

I mean, we don't know how many jobs might be coming to Indiana, but we have heard from, you know, some, leaders in Indiana that have touted this as a real win because we are a big agricultural state.

This is what makes sense for the program to come here.

I mean, it is largely a bureaucracy that's going to be coming with these jobs, I would imagine.

But there is a correlation.

Yeah.

I mean, it's you look at the states selected.

I know Missouri is in the mix there to, Texas, you know, areas that have agriculture production.

So I think the original argument when this was presented before we knew were getting snap.

But just like knowing we're going to get to office here was bringing it closer to some of the those that they work with more closely like farmers.

And so I think that's something that we're going to have to see how it like the idea is there.

And I don't think anyone's thinking that's a bad idea necessarily.

But there is going to be challenges like there's pros and cons that are going to have to be weighed out of, you know, not by not being in DC, you might not be as close to some of the other agencies you need to work in coordination with.

But you might be closer to constituents and folks who need your services.

So will the benefits outweigh any of the cost of moving some departments out of DC?

That's what I'm gonna say.

We're also going to talk today about Indiana Democrats that are pushing back on allegations from state officials that they found over $200 million in improper Medicaid payments through Indiana's attendant care program, Ben Thorp reports.

It comes as the state continues to push changes to Indiana's Medicaid program.

Attendant care is provided under Indiana medicaid for people with disability or chronic illnesses who need help with the tasks of daily living.

The state last week claimed it had found significant payment errors between 2022 and 2025 from some of the major companies providing attendant care.

But Democrats are pushing back on those numbers, saying the state's claims are based on bad methodology.

Representative Victoria Garcia Wilburn says the state has relied on an influx of federal funding to support social programs, and these claims of bad payments push an agenda.

This is, a step towards clawing back funds on the backs of Hoosiers and the needy.

The secretary of the Family and Social Services Administration, Mitch Roob says the state's audit is sound.

Laura, how might these audit these changes to Medicaid, you know, impact Hoosier families?

Well, I think anytime you are taking funds away from an intensive care program, it has a negative impact impact.

But the larger issue here to me is how did this happen?

Where was the oversight and what are they going to do to prevent this from going forward?

And how can we trust that they're not going to be taking money and payments from people who really need it, in the effort to try and make up that major deficit that they incurred on their watch.

I mean, of course, we have seen a lot of changes in the Medicaid program here in recent years as the state tries to align with federal, rules and as a number of people have been dropped off the rolls, is is just another, tactic on the way to making sure that we are.

Yeah.

Compliance.

I think you have to remember where this all started was, you know, a couple of years ago for SSA came to state budget leaders and said, we have $1 billion that either we don't know where it went or, you know, we far, you know, outpaced what our expected expenses were, $1 billion, which I think is absolutely gives the state the right to go in and make sure they are auditing.

They are increasing the amount of reporting at the agency has to do, which has been happening.

So I think this is just an example of I think it's important to clarify that, you know, the state's not going in and immediately, just like taking the 200 million away from people, it's just in the future.

You know, that was the number that was associated with the previous errors.

So in the future, how do we continue to hold these folks accountable to make sure this doesn't happen again?

And I think a lot of credit has to go to state leaders and FSA for really taking this seriously, of making sure that something like $1 billion shortfall doesn't happen again.

Well, I've been working to get this last question on for a while.

It is travel season in Indiana.

What is your favorite destination in state?

I would say Madison, Indiana.

It's where my, sister and her family live, and it's just a great place to visit, and I would encourage people to go there.

Wonderful time.

Where do you like to go.

And to go to Bloomington, especially during football season now and maybe next season.

Basketball season?

Oh, yeah, football season and soccer and everything else.

I haven't been, but I need to go myself.

Is Old Ben in Kokomo.

It's like a giant taxidermied cow.

So.

But it's like known as, like the old, like the largest one.

And I'm taking real quick trip.

Oh, yeah.

Ha ha.

Truce distillery in Brown County.

Okay.

That's Indiana Week interviewing for this week.

Our panel has been Democrat Laura Beck, Republican Chris Mitchem, Jon Schwantes, host of Indiana Lawmakers.

And Samantha Horton, reporter and newscaster at WFYI.

You can find Indiana Weekend Reviews, podcast and episodes at WFYI.org/IWIR or on the PBS app.

I'm Jill Sheridan, managing editor at WFYI.

I join us next time because a lot can happen in an Indiana week.

The views expressed are solely those of the panelists.

Indiana Week in Review is produced by WFYI in association with Indiana Public Broadcasting stations.

Additional support is provided by ParrRichey