Indiana is "ground zero" of the Republican civil war

Scoop: Mitch Daniels headed to Washington, D.C. for meetings.

The latest front in the Republican civil war is set to erupt in the otherwise quiet state of Indiana.

Party officials and insiders are girding for an increasingly nasty primary battle for an open Senate seat between Rep. Jim Banks, who has declared, and former Purdue University president and former two-term Gov. Mitch Daniels, who appears increasingly poised to join the race. Daniels is expected to announce his intentions soon, according to one GOP senator. The ensuing fight could open years-old fault lines between the establishment and Trumpist wings of the party. 

The former president’s orbit is taking a growing interest in the contest after Banks briefed Trump in a phone call last week on his intentions to run regardless of what Daniels decided, according to four people familiar with the call who spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump allies believe that the state’s 2024 Senate primary for the seat being vacated by Sen. Mike Braun could provide a crucial pulse check on the health of Trump’s brand and the ideological direction of the party. 

The divisiveness of the primary — rising even before Daniels entered the race — has reached such a fever pitch that Rep. Greg Pence has weighed withdrawing his endorsement of Banks, according to two Republicans familiar with the matter. The Banks campaign hasn’t officially rolled out Pence’s endorsement yet, but Pence told POLITICO previously that he was endorsing Banks. A Banks’ spokesman declined to comment. Kyle Robertson, Pence’s chief of staff, did not return messages seeking comment. 

Daniels is ensconced at his newly purchased home in Naples, Fla., where he has been golfing and fishing in recent weeks. He’s expected to visit Washington in the coming days to meet with past campaign advisers, according to two Indiana Republicans familiar with his plans… .