On Friday, the state Republican Party will hold a caucus to select a nominee to run against incumbent 7th District Democrat Andre Carson. The caucus is necessary because Jon Elrod, who won the nomination in the Republican primary, announced last month that he was dropping out of that race in order to seek reelection to the Indiana General Assembly. State GOP spokesman Jay Kenworthy admits that getting such a late start will put his party at a disadvantage against Carson.
“His name recognition is up there,” Kenworthy said of Carson. “He’s had a lot of out of state political action committees donating to his campaign. So he has a large war chest of money.”
At the caucus, each candidate will get five minutes to make their case. The six candidates asking for the party’s consideration are former Indy Greenways director Ray Irvin, social worker Gabrielle Campo, Michael Johnson, who ran in the primary several years ago, Patrick O’Connor, Jason Turnbill and Levin Green.
