By Daniela Altimari
CQ-Roll Call (TNS)
Indiana is poised for a major political shuffle following Tuesday’s primaries, when Republican voters selected nominees for open House seats in solid red districts while also standing by two-term Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz, who faced a bitter and expensive challenge.
Republicans in the Hoosier State also backed Sen. Mike Braun for governor. Rep. Jim Banks ran uncontested for the GOP nomination to the Senate seat that Braun will vacate in January. Braun will face Democrat Jennifer McCormick, the former state superintendent of public instruction, and Banks will run against Democrat Valerie McCray, a clinical psychologist.
Here’s a look at some of the other key results:
1st District
In the 1st District race, which Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates as likely Democratic, Lake County Councilman Randy Niemeyer beat two other Republicans and will take on Democratic Rep. Frank J. Mrvan in November. Niemeyer had 61% of the vote when The Associated Press called the race at 8:21 p.m. Eastern time.
3rd District
In the GOP race to succeed Banks, former Rep. Marlin Stutzman defeated seven other Republicans, including former Allen County Circuit Court Judge Wendy Davis, state Sen. Andy Zay and Tim Smith, who retired from a major medical malpractice insurance firm to lead a Christian nonprofit organization.
The former congressman had 24.2% of the vote when the AP called the race at 9:28 p.m. Eastern time. Smith, who loaned his campaign more than $1 million, ran second and Davis was third.
Stutzman, who represented the 3rd District for three terms before giving up the seat for an unsuccessful Senate run, was the target of outside groups who spent heavily to defeat him. But he also had support from other groups, including the House Freedom Fund, the PAC of the House Freedom Caucus.
Stutzman now faces Democrat Kiley M. Adolph, a global consultant. The race is rated solid Republican.
5th District
Spartz, who reversed a decision to retire just days before the filing deadline, won the nomination for a third term against eight other Republicans.
Spartz had 39% of the vote when the AP called the race at 8:29 p.m. Eastern time. Chuck Goodrich, a state lawmaker and the CEO of a construction company, was running second and former House staffer Max Engling was third.
Spartz was outraised by several of her GOP opponents, including Goodrich, who largely bankrolled his campaign with $4.6 million from his own pocket. Goodrich funded a blitz of negative ads criticizing Spartz for failing to take a tough stance on crime and accusing her of bullying her staff. Spartz, the only member of Congress born in Ukraine, pushed back, attacking Goodrich for being soft on China.
Spartz will compete against Democrat Deborah A. Pickett, a community volunteer and former Army reservist, in November. The race is rated solid Republican.
6th District
Jefferson Shreve, the founder of a self-storage company who invested $5.6 million into the race, won the GOP primary for the seat being vacated by the retirement of Rep. Greg Pence, R-Columbus, the brother of former Vice President Mike Pence.
Shreve had 28% of the vote when the AP called the race at 8:48 p.m. Eastern time.
Shreve beat several other Republicans who had also opened their wallets, including state Rep. Mike Speedy and RV industry consultant Jamison Carrier. Shreve, who spent more than $13 million of his own money on an unsuccessful bid to become mayor of Indianapolis, will face Democrat Cynthia (Cinde) Wirth in November. The race is rated solid Republican.
8th District
State Sen. Mark Messmer beat former Rep. John Hostettler and six other Republicans for the nomination to succeed retiring Rep. Larry Bucshon.
Messmer had 40% of the vote when the AP called the race at 7:49 Eastern time. Hostettler was running second with 17%, followed by cancer surgeon Richard Moss with 15% and Dominick Kavanaugh, who worked as a White House intern when Donald Trump was president, with 12%.
Outside groups dumped $5.6 million into the race, and support for Israel became a flash point. Almost half of the $2 million spent supporting Messmer came from the RJC Victory Fund, which is affiliated with the Republican Jewish Coalition.
Meanwhile, United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, funded an anti-Hostettler ad, calling him “one of the most anti-Israel politicians in America.”
After the race was called, the AIPAC-aligned super PAC issued a statement congratulating Messmer and said his win “demonstrates again that support for the U.S.-Israel relationship is both good policy and good politics.” Messmer will face Democrat Erik Hurt in November. The race is rated solid Republican.
