President Donald Trump made a new round of endorsements seeking to oust Republican state senators who opposed his push for Indiana congressional redistricting.

Social media posts Tuesday night from Trump threw his support behind primary challengers to Sens. Greg Goode of Terre Haute and Spencer Deery of West Lafayette.

Trump’s post endorsing Vigo County Councilwoman Brenda Wilson against Goode erroneously identified her as a county commissioner.

In a separate post, Trump endorsed Paula Copenhaver, a top aide to Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and the Fountain County Republican chair, in her challenge to Deery.

Trump has now in recent days endorsed five challengers to incumbent Republican senators after he vowed political revenge against those who defied him on the redistricting bill that failed in December.

Those posts have used nearly identical wording, denouncing the current senators as a “RINO” — for Republican in name only — and “an America Last politician.”

Goode responded to a request for comment about Trump’s post by saying: “I was grateful for Brenda’s advice in October when she said, ‘Greg, don’t vote for redistricting.’”

Deery said in a statement that he has “a proven record of passing meaningful legislation that advances the conservative movement.”

“Ultimately, voters will decide this race, and they will trust the local voices who know me and know what I have delivered for their towns, schools and counties,” Deery said.

Trump’s support for their challengers also puts him at odds with two legislators with close ties to top Indiana Republican figures.

Goode is U.S. Sen. Todd Young’s state director, while Deery was a top aide to former Gov. Mitch Daniels while Daniels was the Purdue University president.

Another of Trump’s Tuesday night posts endorsed former state Rep. Jeff Ellington for the Republican nomination for an open seat created by GOP Sen. Eric Bassler’s decision not seek reelection. Bassler, of Washington, also voted against the redistricting bill.

Trump endorsed Ellington over other Republican candidates Kristi Risk, who is a Beckwith staffer and the Owen County GOP chair, and Vincennes attorney Tanner Bouchie.

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

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INDIANAPOLIS — It had a rocky road through the State Senate, but a bill that Republicans say would protect students and faculty from retaliation over their political beliefs is moving its way through the Indiana House.

The bill written by State Sen. Spencer Deery would rework the parameters by which faculty at Indiana's high education institutions get tenure by including a more regular review process of their work every five years. These parameters have to do with how a professor handles "free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity," according to the bill.

Deery has said many times as he has followed the bill through the Statehouse that it protects faculty and teachers from retaliation from the university over the topics they are researching or if they speak against the administration in any way.

Overall, the bill is intended to protect faculty and teachers who are of a conservative mind who work on campuses that have a history of harboring more liberal views.

"There is nothing in state code right now that says you are protected against retaliation for criticizing administrators, for the content of your research, or for your outside political views, and this says that you have those protections," Deery told the House Education committee Wednesday.

Democrats, namely State Rep. Ed Delaney (D-Indianapolis), are staunchly opposed to the bill. Delaney said the First Amendment is enough to ensure the protections Deery is seeking to codify.

"This is a state institution that cannot suppress the free speech of our professors," he said as he questioned Deery during the hearing. "This bill does not, intended to, and will not increase (teachers') sense of security in teaching, and putting in some 'holy water' to the effect that we are not trying to do certain bad things is not a solution."

Delaney claimed there have been no instances of teachers at colleges and universities being fired in Indiana over their political views.

Committee chairman State Rep. Bob Behning (R-Indianapolis) noted he believes Indiana's colleges and universities need the guidance of the state legislature on how to handle issues related to "intellectual diversity."

Democrats introduced several amendments to try and scale down the bill on Wednesday, but the GOP majority on the committee rejected all.

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