White House officials offered an Indiana Senate candidate potential government jobs and appointments in exchange for dropping out of the Republican primary election next month, according to recorded phone calls and text messages released Friday.

Alexandra Wilson is running to unseat state Sen. Greg Goode (R-Terre Haute) in Indiana Senate District 38. The other challenger, Vigo County Council member Brenda Wilson, has the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

Trump has backed candidates against Goode and other Indiana senators who voted against his call to redraw the state’s congressional maps mid-decade during the legislative session last year.

Alexandra Wilson released a collection of screenshots, voicemail transcriptions and recorded calls to reporters Friday. NBC News was the first to report on the files.

“Instead of considering the merits of my candidacy, the White House and Indiana leaders have spent countless hours trying to push me aside, including offers of potential employment in taxpayer-funded roles in exchange for my leaving the race,” Wilson said in a written statement. “They crossed a line, and Hoosiers deserve to know that.”

The files shared by Wilson show contact from Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, Gov. Mike Braun’s chief of staff Joshua Kelley, White House political director Matt Brasseaux and White House deputy chief of staff James Blair.

The calls and text messages appear to begin in early February, just after Wilson filed to run in the primary. Wilson shared call logs with WFYI but it’s not exactly clear what day each call was taken on.

When Brasseaux spoke with Wilson, he asked her to tell him about why she was running.

“I do not believe that Brenda is a good candidate,” she told Brasseaux on a call. “I don’t think she’s a good choice. I don’t, you know, I don’t think she’d be making quality choices for the local folks here.”

But Brasseaux then offered to contact what he described as the White House’s hiring office to find her a “landing spot.”

“Is that something that would be interesting to you? As far as employment?” Brasseaux asked.

Alexandra Wilson told him it would not.

In a statement sent to WFYI, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said “this is what the political team does.”

“They talk to candidates across the country. And it’s not, you know, again, it’s not coming from a place of malice. It is coming from a place of doing their jobs to report back to the president about what’s going on in these races.”

WFYI reached out to Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Gov. Mike Braun’s office for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

In another call with White House deputy chief of staff James Blair, he raised concerns about there being two candidates with the last name Wilson in the race, noting that it could give the edge to incumbent Goode.

Blair also told Wilson that it would be difficult for Trump to “change streams” and endorse her after first endorsing Brenda Wilson.

“If we go the three way and there is no change,” Blair said. “I think this is going to be a really nasty race.”

Blair then asked Wilson where she stood on redistricting and whether he could get her to stand down from the race. Wilson again said she would not step down.

Blair then brought up Wilson’s arrest and asked how she would explain herself to voters.

At 19, Wilson was charged with resisting arrest by vehicle, Wilson’s attorney has said, which means she did not immediately pull over for officers.

Blair warned her that it “will for sure come up” with both Greg Goode and Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray “playing for keeps.”

Before ending the call Blair asked her how much in donations she could raise and whether she had a campaign team.

“I’ve got the support of the GOP chairman,” Wilson said.

That call was made in early February. By the end of that month, James Bopp, an attorney who says he supports Brenda Wilson, would be in front of the Indiana Election Commission challenging Alexandra Wilson’s right to appear on the ballot.

Bopp challenged Alexandra Wilson’s eligibility to appear on the ballot on the grounds that she was charged with a felony. The issue has twice deadlocked the Indiana Election Commission even though Alexandra Wilson says she never pleaded to a felony, and her attorney said the charge was pleaded down to a misdemeanor.

Alexandra Wilson has since had that case expunged from her record, but that hasn’t stopped James Bopp from repeatedly asserting she is a felon, something Wilson’s attorney has warned amounts to “defamation per se.”

The primary election is May 5.

Contact Government Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org

WOLCOTTVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources on Thursday issued a second emergency advisory to restrict watercraft due to high water on lakes in the northern part of the state.

As WISHTV.com previously reported, the first emergency advisory, issued Tuesday, affected lakes in Kosciusko County. On the Barbee Lakes Chain, the operation of all motorized watercraft is restricted. The Barbee Lakes Chain consists of Kuhn, Big Barbee, Little Barbee, Irish, Sechrist, Sawmill and Banning Lakes.

Also in Kosciusko County, an idle speed restriction has been placed on motorized watercraft on the Tippecanoe Lake Chain and Lake Wawasee; the Tippecanoe Lake Chain includes Lake Tippecanoe, Oswego and James Lakes.

The second emergency advisory, issued Thursday, placing an idle-speed restriction on motorized watercraft on the Indian Lakes Chain in southern LaGrange County. The goal is to prevent boat wakes from causing water to enter homes. The emergency advisory specifically impacts Witmer, Westler, Dallas, Hackenberg and Messick lakes, which comprise the Indian Lakes Chain.

Natural Resources lists its advisories on its website.

The lakes provide tourists and residents with year-round recreation including swimming, fishing, skiing, boating, kayaking and canoeing.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever are making progress on their new practice facility.

Pacers Sports and Entertainment shared renderings of the inside of the facility, situated across from Gainbridge Fieldhouse at the intersection of Maryland and Delaware streets, on Thursday morning. 

The 108,000-square-foot space will be a major upgrade from the Fever’s current practice space, which is situated inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse with just one court and minimal player support areas.

Those renderings include dual practice courts, a podcast studio, golf simulator, individual player spaces within the locker room, and a room for dedicated childcare services. It will also have a full kitchen with a chef, and a recovery suite that includes hydrotherapy pools, an infrared sauna, and massage therapy rooms.

The $78 million structure will be three levels, with part of the first story dedicated to be open to the public with a team store and the Fever Hall of Excellence.

“These renderings bring our vision into focus,” Indiana Fever president Kelly Krauskopf said in a statement. “Every element of this facility has been intentionally designed around our players including how they train, recover, connect and live day to day. This will set a new standard for women’s sports and continue to position Indianapolis at the center of that momentum.”

The facility is expected to open ahead of the 2027 WNBA season — just in time for what may be a frenzy of free agency for the second straight offseason.

Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@indystar.com or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. Subscribe to IndyStar’s YouTube channel for Fever Insiders Live.