Trump called Engling a “true MAGA warrior” in a social media post and claimed Democrats “love to CHEAT,” adding that Engling would work to safeguard Indiana elections. Those are Trump’s allegations; they are not evidence of widespread election fraud.

Engling thanked Trump and said he would be the only candidate to ensure American elections are for American citizens. He has made noncitizen voting a central issue in his campaign, arguing that his opponents do not take it seriously enough.

A recent report identified 21 instances of noncitizen voting over an uncertain period. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita also said this week that his office would file felony charges against a Vigo County man accused of illegally registering and voting in several state elections. Engling’s opponents say such cases should be taken seriously but are not common enough to justify a major overhaul of election security.

One recent poll put Democratic candidate Beau Bayh nearly 10 points ahead of Engling, an unexpected result in a state that generally favors Republicans. The endorsement comes after Trump-backed challengers defeated several Indiana Republican incumbents in this year’s primaries, following those lawmakers’ opposition to Trump’s redistricting effort.

The secretary of state race has drawn particular attention this election cycle as candidates debate election security, the integrity of the office and voter turnout.