The GOP picked up several seats in Indiana's state elections Tuesday, and legislative leaders say those results are an affirmation of Republican leadership in the Statehouse.
Coming into the 2014 election with supermajorities in the House and Senate, Republicans not only retained those leads but added to them.
Senate Republicans took three Democratic seats, including an upset victory over incumbent State Sen. Tim Skinner, D-Terre Haute.
House Republicans lost only one incumbent Rep. Jack Lutz, R-Anderson, while flipping three other seats.
House Speaker Brian Bosma says Tuesday's results mean great continued representation for Hoosiers.
"Representatives who are committed to being transparent and open, giving folks that might not have the economic means the opportunity to attend a school of choice, making our public schools well-funded and fairly-funded, and addressing some of the key issue that we know Hoosiers are concerned about," Bosma said.
Senate President Pro Tem David Long says the big victories prove the GOP brand is strong.
"That we've earned this, that we've taken risks and stuck our necks out and led with my partner Brian and all of our flocks in the House and the Senate and we've done the right thing and done right by Indiana," he said.
The GOP also swept the three statewide races on the ticket for auditor, treasurer and secretary of state.
A little after 9 p.m. Tuesday, Governor Mike Pence took to the stage at state Republican Party headquarters in downtown Indianapolis.
Speaking to a crowd already buzzing with positivity on a night that was shaping up to be big for the GOP, Pence told them it was a historic night.
"By electing Connie Lawson as Secretary of State, Suzanne Crouch as our Auditor, Kelly Mitchell as our Treasurer, the people of Indiana have said ‘Yes' to the common sense Republican leadership that's creating more jobs and more opportunities for Hoosiers every day," Pence said.
Lawson and Crouch, both incumbents by virtue of being appointed to their positions of secretary of state and auditor, respectively, joined Mitchell as the first all-female statewide ticket in Indiana history.
Democrats were particularly hoping to pick up the Secretary of State's office.
But Lawson soundly defeated Democrat Beth White, who is the current Marion County clerk.
White raised significantly less money for her campaign, which she says could have contributed to her loss.
But, she says the entire Democratic Party faced a tough battle this year.
"It's tough in Indiana – we had no governor, no senator [on the ballot]," White said. "It's tough to motivate the voters when we don't have that kind of marquee race. So I don't feel demoralized; I feel good about what we were able to accomplish."
White will continue serving as Marion County Clerk for the next two months, but isn't sure if she'll run for statewide office again.
House Republicans meet Wednesday to elect their leadership. Bosma is widely expected to remain Speaker.
