One congressional race was still undecided late Tuesday. (Lauren Chapman/IPB News)
Republican candidates easily won seven of Indiana’s nine U.S. House seats in Tuesday’s midterm election.
Democrat Frank Mrvan won against Republican Jennifer Ruth-Green for Indiana’s U.S. House District 1 by almost six percent late Tuesday. The northern district is near Chicago.
Republicans took seven of Indiana’s eight other seats, including in District 2, where Rudy Yakym will be the next representative after winning the special and general elections for the open seat. Yakym faced Democrat Paul Steury.
Read more: Republican wins open U.S. House seat, succeeding Walorski
That race took an unexpected turn earlier this year following the death of incumbent Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski in an August car crash.
Yakym is the director of growth initiatives at Kem Krest and previously served as finance director for Walorski’s congressional campaign. And he opened his victory speech by paying tribute to the late congresswoman.
“Jackie was a fighter, and a devoted public servant,” Yakym said. “And I want to extend my deepest appreciation to her husband, Dean Swihart, and the entire Walorski family for their support in this race.”
Yakym said he’ll use his business experience to find “common sense solutions” to fight inflation and “stoke the flames of success” for major area industries such as agriculture and RV, boating and medical device manufacturing.
Read more: 3rd District Rep. Jim Banks holds onto seat for fourth term
In District 3, Republican Rep. Jim Banks is once again holding on to his congressional seat.
Banks held off his Democrat and independent challengers to win his fourth consecutive term.
Banks, a pro-life, 2020 election denier faced Democrat Gary Snyder and independent Nathan Gotsch, both of whom do not support a nation-wide abortion ban and believe President Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.
Banks won with about 65 percent of the vote to Snyder’s 4.5 percent.
According to unofficial results, Banks declared victory when he had 63.1 percent of the vote. Snyder had 32.5 percent and Gotsch had 4.5 percent.
In a statement, Banks said that “it has been the honor of my lifetime to spend three terms representing northeast Indiana in the House and I am grateful to the people of Indiana for the opportunity to serve for another term.”
Banks said he still has work to do saying “after the first two years of the Biden presidency and a Speaker-Pelosi controlled House, Hoosiers face runaway inflation, skyrocketing energy costs, a broken border, increasing crime, and a worsening opioid epidemic. There's a lot of work to be done and I am more determined than ever to fight back against the craziness in Washington.”
Snyder called Tuesday’s election result an “indictment on the voters of Northeast Indiana” which is what left him disappointed.
“It’s just disappointing that the voters of the third district don’t value a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her own body, healthcare and future,” Snyder said.
Gotsch said he walked away from Election Day encouraged by the results.
“We really believe in the independent model,” Gotsch said. “So, this was a test. This was a chance to see if there was an appetite for this, and the returns, in my mind, are very encouraging.”
Both Gotsch and Snyder said they plan to continue working for the people of Northeast Indiana. Snyder said he would do so by continuing to “fight the fight.”
Gotsch did not rule out another run for public office. Banks, meanwhile, said Tuesday night was the night when Northeast Indiana “fires Nancy Pelosi.”
Republican Jim Baird won reelection to the U.S. House in Indiana’s 4th District. Baird won 68 percent of the vote. Democrat Roger Day took 32 percent.
“After two years of record-breaking inflation rates, Hoosiers are ready for an economy that's strong. That's why next Congress, I'm proud to join my Republican colleagues in curbing wasteful government spending that's raising the price of your groceries, gas, housing, and growing our national debt,” a statement posted to Baird’s Facebook page said.
"It's past time to cut back on the partisan spending that's hurting your wallets, and I look forward to working hard to restore our strong economy by promoting pro-growth tax and deregulatory policies that will ease the financial strain you've been feeling.”
Read more: U.S. Representative Carson and Spartz retain their seats
Victoria Spartz won a second term to serve Indiana’s U.S. House District 5. The district covers part of the north side of Indianapolis and the city’s eastern and north suburbs – including Carmel, Noblesville, Fishers, Marion, Anderson and parts of Kokomo.
Spartz spent Election night in Muncie. She said she's excited to continue her work in D.C.
"To work with my fellow Republicans, and even with Democrats if they want to work with us in Congress to deliver some results because people are tired and we have some real issues and we need to have some real policy solutions," Spartz said.
Spartz said she talked to many Hoosiers at the polls on Election Day.
"I just love my great state and these commonsense policies are just really badly needed in D.C." she said.
Spartz won the District 5 seat in 2020. Before that, she served in Senate District 20, appointed in 2017 following the departure of Luke Kennley. Originally from Ukraine, Spartz has worked as an accountant and a business owner.
In answer to a WFYI candidate survey before the election, Spartz wrote, “Congress needs to address border security and immigration; economy and inflation; energy policies; health care; congressional oversight and spending; constitutional rights, including Big Tech and DOJ/FBI powers; education; and foreign policy challenges.”
Spartz competed against Democrat Jeannine Lee Lake.
In District 6, Republican Greg Pence retained his seat with 68 percent of the vote. Democratic opponent Cynthia Wirth took 32 percent.
"I want to thank my family, friends, supporters and the good Hoosiers of Indiana’s Sixth District who have entrusted me to be their Representative in Congress,” Pence wrote in a Facebook post late Tuesday.
“I promise to be a leader who prioritizes constituents and ensure Hoosiers always have a seat at the table — continuing the Sixth District’s strong tradition of leadership in Congress.
“Onward to January, and saving our Nation!” he wrote.
U.S. Congressman Democrat Andre Carson will continue to represent the 7th District, as he has since 2008. The U.S. House of Representatives position covers most of Marion County.
At a watch party in Indianapolis Carson said a win for him is a win for the Democrat party.
"Our party has the best message, our party has the best agenda, our party represents the true values of the American people," Carson said.
Carson said he’s been focused on numerous priority issues that most impact constituents. He said the cost of living for working, middle-class Hoosiers, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and security issues are top issues.
He said the nation's security was shaken January 6, 2021, the day of the U.S. Capitol insurrection.
"An empty building with broken glass and debris and then piece by piece, brick by brick we started to rebuild our democracy.”
Carson was first elected to the seat after his grandmother passed – Julia Carson served as U.S. Congresswoman from 1997 to 2007. She was the first Black representative to serve the Indianapolis area in Congress.
In answer to a WFYI candidate survey before the election Carson wrote that Congress needs to do more for the middle-class, “From housing costs, to continue reducing inflation, lawmakers have a responsibility to remove financial burdens and make life a little easier for those who might otherwise be living paycheck to paycheck.”
Carson competed against two candidates in the race for the 7th District. Republican candidate Angela Grabovsky and Libertarian candidate Gavin Maple.
Read more: General Election Results: U.S. House
In District 8, incumbent Republican Larry Bucshon defeated Democrat Ray McCormick with 66 percent of the vote to McCormick’s 29 percent.
Republican former state Sen. Erin Houchin won in southern Indiana’s 9th Congressional District to replace GOP Rep. Trey Hollingsworth, who unexpectedly announced in January he wouldn’t seek reelection after three terms.
Jakob Lazzaro, Tony Sandleben and Jill Sheridan contributed to this report.
