Indiana
White House tried to push a Republican candidate out of an Indiana state Senate race
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
Catch everything that went on at day 1 of the Indiana Comic Convention
Day 1 of the 2025 Indiana Comic Convention is in the books. IndyStar reporter John Tufts gives you an inside look of everything that went on.
Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage is making his U.S. comic con scene debut, appearing at the Indiana Comic Convention this week.
Fans can meet Cage and get an autograph or photo with him during the June 5-7 event taking place at the Indiana Convention Center.
The appearance marks Cage’s first at a U.S. comic convention. The 62-year-old actor, who has starred in movies spanning romance, action and superhero genres over more than 40 years, appeared at the Osaka Comic Convention in 2025.
Cage’s Indiana visit comes after the May 27 release on Prime Video of “Spider-Noir,” the live-action superhero series he leads. He voiced the character in the 2018 animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” and will reprise the role in 2027’s “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.”
Among his other superhero genre movie roles are Big Daddy in “Kick-Ass” and Johnny Blaze in Marvel’s Ghost Rider franchise. He was set to star in director Tim Burton’s scrapped Superman movie in the 1990s. Fans finally got to see him on the big screen as the Man of Steel when he cameoed in “The Flash” in 2024.
Cage, whose movies have grossed more than $6.4 billion, also starred in “National Treasure,” “The Rock,” “Face/Off,” “Con Air,” “Valley Girl,” “Raising Arizona,” “Adaptation” and “Leaving Las Vegas,” for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor.
“Nicolas Cage is one of the most accomplished and recognizable actors in the world, and to have him choose Indiana Comic Convention as his first fan convention is huge for fans and a tribute to the reputation they’ve built for treating celebrity attendees with so much love and respect,” show producer Dan Farr said in an announcement of the appearance.
Watch ‘Spider-Noir’ on Prime
How much is a Nicolas Cage photo op?
Indiana Comic Convention features celebrities, authors, comic creators and exhibitors that cater to a wide spectrum of interests and fandoms, including comic books, magazines, toys, games, anime, manga, cosplay, artwork, sketches and apparel.
In-person Nicolas Cage autographs will cost $400. Photo ops are $250. A pre-signed autograph is $225. A photo op/pre-signed autobiography bundle is $450.
Tickets and photo ops are available now at indianacomicconvention.com.
Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com:@cherylvjackson or Bluesky:@cherylvjackson.bsky.social.
Monday, June 1, 2026 3:34AM
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (WLS) — A northwest Indiana family is safe thanks to the heroic actions of a Hobart police officer.
Adam Zormier rescued a woman and four children from a burning home.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
ABC7 talked to Zormier, who told us he was on patrol in Hobart on Sunday when he noticed heavy black smoke in the air.
He discovered it was coming from the windows and roof of a house in nearby Merrillville.
A Good Samaritan helped him knock on doors. When there was no answer, he forced his way in.
Zormier was treated for smoke inhalation. No one was seriously hurt.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Indiana
Indiana EMT charged with sexually assaulting 14-year-old in the back of an ambulance during transport
(WXIN/WTTV) — An EMT working for an Indiana ambulance service has been arrested after accusations that he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old while transporting them to the hospital.
Ronald D. Elliott Jr., 37, was officially charged Wednesday with a slew of child sex crimes. Online jail records show Elliott, who lives in Dunreith, was arrested Thursday and booked into Delaware County Jail without bond.
The arrest stems from accusations made by a 14-year-old who told police that Elliott sexually assaulted her in the back of an ambulance during a February transport from Muncie to Monroe County.
The alleged victim came forward on March 16 and told Indiana State Police investigators that an EMT had forced her into sexual contact while taking her to a medical facility in Bloomington.
The juvenile said that Elliott, who is listed as an EMT for Quest Ambulance Service, began showing her pictures and videos on his cell phone during the transport. The files reportedly included photos of Elliott’s genitals and videos of him engaged in sexual activities.
Elliott is then alleged to have groped the teenager under her clothes and exposed himself to her. The girl said this led to Elliott sexually assaulting her in the back of the ambulance while en route to Bloomington.
The 14-year-old said that, after the assault, Elliott provided her with his “Mr. Fogger” nicotine vape as well as his phone. The girl told officers she signed into her Instagram account on Elliott’s phone, and court documents state she failed to log off after leaving the ambulance.
It was through the girl’s Instagram account that Elliott allegedly found a second juvenile victim. Identified as Victim 2 in court documents, Elliott reportedly began messaging the 13-year-old girl on Instagram. Throughout his conversations, the 37-year-old EMT is alleged to have:
- Called the juvenile a “young sl-t”
- Lied about his age, claiming he was 18 years old
- Sent a picture of himself only wearing a towel
- Made “sexually suggestive” comments about “good naughty girls”
- Told the 13-year-old girl she “looks cute”
During an interview with Elliott conducted on March 25, the EMT reportedly admitted to letting the 14-year-old use his phone and nicotine vape. However, he denied any sexual contact with the girl and said that any nude images she may have seen on his phone were an accident.
After uncovering “corroborating evidence” from both Elliott’s cell phone and the victim’s Instagram account, police requested that a warrant be filed for his arrest. Online court records show that the warrant was granted on Thursday.
Indiana State Police said that Elliott was taken into custody without incident during a traffic stop. Delaware County Jail records show Elliott was booked around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. He now faces the following several Level 4 felony charges including child seduction, child solicitation, and sexual conduct with a minor.
No other information was included in the probable cause affidavit filed against Elliott.
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