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Donald Trump Jr. stumps for Braun and Banks

Donald Trump Jr. stumps for Braun and Banks

SHELBY COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — The eldest son of former President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Jim Banks and Mike Braun are Indiana’s best choices to advance Trump’s agenda.

Donald Trump Jr. headlined a midday rally at a seed production farm near Shelbyville that featured Banks, Braun, and Attorney General Todd Rokita. Braun faces five challengers in the Republican primary for governor while Banks is unopposed in his bid for Braun’s U.S. Senate seat. Banks and Braun each urged the small crowd to support both of them.

The elder Trump endorsed both men in their respective races last year before candidate filing ever began. The younger Trump told News 8 after the rally Braun has been a loyal ally.

“I think we’re big fans of people who have actually run business,” he said, “We’ve done the things outside of politics. We’re not just bureaucrats whose next natural progression is some other role. Him as a governor just makes total sense.”

Braun and Banks dismissed the idea that the Trump family’s support unfairly stacks the deck against Braun’s rivals in the primary. Banks told News 8 that Trump’s endorsement has become the most sought-after in American politics while Braun noted the presence of five other rivals.

“When it comes to anybody wanting to compete, I think it’s what you’re talking about,” Braun said. “Do you want to see more of the same or do you want to see things change a little bit to adapt to what’s best for our country and our state?”

In a statement issued after the rally, Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl said, “It’s no surprise to see Banks, Braun, and Rokita slumming with Donald Trump Jr. Whether it’s attacking doctors or coming after contraceptive access, time and again, they put MAGA ahead of Indiana.”

Former Attorney General Curtis Hill, one of Braun’s rivals in the Republican race for governor, said afterward, “Hoosier grassroots conservatives know my record as the only proven conservative leader in this race fighting for a culture of life, parental rights, criminal accountability, truth, and individual liberty!”

The primary is set for May 7 and voter registration for the primary ends at the close of business on April 8.