Indiana Primary Election: Initial Polls Closing to Determine Governor, Senate, and House Contests

Polls are closing in the Hoosier State on Tuesday that will decide competitive contests for governor and Congress.

While the race for the White House is on the top of the ballot in Indiana’s presidential and state primaries, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump already have enough delegates to secure their respective parties’ presidential nominations.

Both have won nearly every primary and caucus by large margins. Indiana has 58 Republican delegates and 79 Democratic delegates up for grabs in its presidential primaries.

While Trump is the only active candidate in the GOP primary, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is still on the ballot. In recent contests, she has continued to receive a share of the vote even though she suspended her campaign in early March. During the Pennsylvania primary on April 23, Haley received almost 17% of the vote, although Trump still won with 83% of the ballots cast.

Indiana isn’t expected to be a competitive state in the presidential election, with Trump carrying the state twice with 57% of the vote. Only two Democrats have won the Hoosier State in the last 21 presidential elections, Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and Barack Obama in 2008.

Most of the action will be centered on gubernatorial and congressional GOP primaries up and down the ballot. This election cycle is set to bring a new wave of leadership, which includes a six-way primary for governor and crowded races for several open congressional seats, in what has become a game of political musical chairs. The number of open races has driven a historic number of GOP contenders.

The ruby-red state features only one competitive House race in the general election when control of both the Senate and House will be decided. The last polls close at 7 p.m. Eastern, although most polls close at 6 p.m. Indiana is in both the Eastern and the Central time zones.

Here are the races to watch.

Presidential

President Joe Biden is expected to win all of Indiana’s 79 pledged Democratic delegates on Tuesday since he is the sole option in the Democratic primary. Indiana voters won’t be able to cast their votes for another candidate or for “uncommitted.”

In the Republican presidential primary, there are 58 delegates at stake for Trump. The winner of the statewide vote will receive 38 delegates. Twenty-seven delegates will be awarded based on the vote in each of the nine congressional districts. The candidate with the most votes in each congressional district will be allocated three delegates in that district.

Governor’s Race

The top statewide race on the ballot is the primary for governor, which has become the focus of a record amount of spending. Six Republicans are facing off to be the Republican nominee for governor, as Gov. Eric Holcomb (R-IN) is term-limited after serving eight years in office.

The field includes Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), a freshman senator who has Trump’s endorsement, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, former state Commerce Secretary Brad Chambers, former state Attorney General Curtis Hill, former state economic official Eric Doden, and conservative activist Jamie Reitenour.

Indiana’s airwaves have been blanketed in ads, with the six Republicans projected to spend about $40 million by Election Day, a record amount of campaign spending in an Indiana primary. Braun spent $6 million in the first three months of the year. Crouch, Chambers, and Doden spent $14 million together.

The state has now seen a record-breaking million spent ahead of the primaries, according to AdImpact. About 46% of that cash has been spent on Indiana’s gubernatorial primary, while 49% has been spent on House and down-ballot races.

It’s been two decades since Indiana has elected a Democratic governor.

SOCIAL SECURITY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AND HOW LONG IT WILL LAST

Senate

Republicans have coalesced behind Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) after Braun announced he would run for governor. The Indiana congressman will face either psychologist Valerie McCray or former state representative Marc Carmichael in the general election to replace Braun.

1st Congressional District

Republicans are once again working to defeat Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-IN) in northwest Indiana, which has trended more red over the last decade. Businessman Mark Leyva is running against Lake County Councilman Randy Niemeyer and business owner David Ben Ruiz. The Cook Political Report ranks the race as Lean Democrat.

2nd Congressional District

Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) is the incumbent in the district after he won an election in 2022 following the death of Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN). In the general election, Yakym will face Democrat Lori A. Camp, who works at a small software firm in South Bend. Both Yakym and Walorski are running uncontested in the Indiana primary on Tuesday.

3rd Congressional District

Based in Fort Wayne, this district in the northeastern part of the state has a crowded primary to succeed Rep. Jim Banks, who is running for Senate. The race includes Tim Smith, who leads a “Christ-center family services provider,” according to his campaign website, Former Allen County Circuit Judge Wendy Davis, state Sen. Andy Zay, and former Rep. Marlin Stutzman. The race also includes construction project manager Grant Bucher, veteran and congressional staffer Jon Kenworthy, manufacturing worker Eric Whalen, and maintenance technician Mike Felker.

Smith has received the most in campaign contributions, raising $1.3 million, per Federal Election Commission data. However, Smith loaned himself $1.1 million.

4th Congressional District

This district in western Indiana is represented by Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN), who is facing a Republican primary challenge from veteran Charles Bookwalter and John Piper.

On the Democratic side, retired Marine Derrick Holder and business owner Rimpi Girn are competing for the nomination.

5th Congressional District

This is perhaps the most interesting race to watch after incumbent Rep. Victoria Spartz’s (R-IN) initial decision to retire set off a crowded primary and one of the most expensive campaigns this cycle. She ultimately decided to run and is fighting for her political life.

Spartz is facing state Rep. Chuck Goodrich, businessman and speech pathologist Raju Chinthala, Max Engling, attorney Mark Hurt, CPA Patrick Malayter, Matthew Peiffer, Larry Savage, and veteran L.D. Powell. Recent polling averages show a close race between Spartz and Goodrich.

Spartz, the first and only Ukrainian-born member of Congress, was a supporter of aid when Russia first invaded the country two years ago. She has recently opposed an aid package for the country and has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Goodrich has launched attack ads against Spartz for her support for Ukraine aid.

The results of the primary could give an indication of how divisions over Ukraine aid could affect GOP primaries moving forward.

6th Congressional District

Rep. Greg Pence, the brother of former Indiana Gov. and Vice President Mike Pence, announced he would not be seeking reelection. Seven Republicans made the ballot to take over the safe GOP district.

The race includes wealthy businessman Jefferson Shreve, state Rep. Mike Speedy, state Sen. Jeff Raatz, state Rep. John Jacob, Jamison Carrier, Wayne County Republican Darin Childress, and businessman Bill Frazier. The winner will face Democrat Cynthia Wirth, who is running unopposed.

Shreve has put $5.6 million into his campaign, while Speedy loaned himself $1.5 million, and Carrier contributed $750,000, according to campaign finance records.

7th Congressional District

Incumbent Democrat Andre Carson (D-IN) is facing off against challengers Pierre Pullins and Curtis Godfrey in the district, which includes most of Indianapolis.

Republican candidates include Catherine Ping, a retired Army lieutenant, Philip Davis, a retired postal worker, and Gabe Whitley, a former candidate for Evansville mayor.

8th Congressional District

When Rep. Larry Buschon (R-IN) announced he was leaving his safe Republican seat in early January, 14 candidates jumped into the race in southwestern Indiana.

Candidates include John Hostettler, who represented the district from 1995 to 2007, state Sen. Mark Messmer, Jim Case, Dominick Kavanaugh, who worked on Trump’s campaign and in his administration, Luke Misner, and surgeon Richard Moss. Other candidates include Kristi Risk, who leads the Owen County Republican Party, Erik Hurt, veteran Peter Priest II, musician Edward Upton Sein, and school bus driver Michael Tararzyk.

Outside groups have spent $5.6 million in the race, including $2.8 million against Hostettler. A super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee paid for a 30-second ad that hits Hostettler for voting against a 2000 resolution expressing support for Israel and condemning Palestinian leaders over the violence of the second intifada. The ad also cites his numerous votes against providing military aid to Israel. A group aligned with the Republican Jewish Coalition spent $955,000 in support of Messmer.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

9th Congressional District

Incumbent Rep. Erin Houchin (R-IN), who has held the seat for one term, will compete with challenger Hugh Doty in the GOP primary. Trump recently endorsed Houchin.

Veteran D. Liam Dorris and entrepreneur Timothy Peck are competing in the Democratic primary.