Sen. Rogers responds to 'RINO' attacks ahead of May primary

GRANGER, Ind.--- State Senator Linda Rogers is responding to attacks from both President Donald Trump and others, including a political action committee. The Republican from Granger is facing a GOP primary challenge from Dr. Brian Schmutzler, who has the president's direct endorsement and support from Turning Point USA.

She caught the ire of President Trump and his loyalists when she did not support the nationwide Republican push to redraw congressional maps, which included a controversial redistricting bill in the Hoosier state.

"I certainly have supported the president. I support his agenda. It just so happens that I don't agree on one particular item with him. We don't agree with everybody on everything. And so, when I voted against redistricting, he threatened to send someone to primary me," Rogers said. "He's good on his threat, but I'm good on my promise, because I promised to advocate for the people of my district, and they overwhelmingly told me, 'Please vote no.'"

The effort to redraw Indiana's congressional maps failed in the state senate, and President Trump publicly challenged her re-election in next month's primaries. In a Truth Social post, Trump endorsed her opponent for Indiana's 11th District.

Following suit, the political action committee (PAC) called the "Win it Back PAC" launched its own attack ad campaign against Rogers, mailing out flyers that call Rogers a "RINO," meaning "Republican in name only."

"I don't want to listen to outside threats, I want to listen to the people who live here, because that's who really benefit from the work I do," Rogers said. "Their voices come first before outside voices and Washington voices."

She said the mailers "aren't exactly correct." They claim she "sold us out to China," "sided with liberal Democrats," and "opposed President Trump's agenda."

She said she does support the president's agenda, despite her opposition to redistricting, and said she supported legislation that would prohibit Chinese land purchases.

"We do not want any of our adversaries purchasing our land and our businesses, especially around any of our military bases," Rogers said. "The threats, the false accusations, there is nothing to it."

Rogers said she remains confident in her base of local support, despite the "disappointing" attacks.

"It's disappointing, disheartening to have worked as hard as I've worked in the Senate the last 8 years. I've been rated the third-most effective state senator, the highest-ranking woman, and have a 100 percent voting record," she said. "These outside groups, they don't know our community. They don't know our residents. I do, and I'm always going to stand up for the people that live here, not for outside politics or outside groups."