Indiana Democrats gain congressional seat; GOP incumbents lead elsewhere

Democrats gained a seat in Indiana’s congressional delegation Tuesday, while eight incumbent U.S. House members held leads in their reelection races.

Election Day results pointed toward a six-to-three Republican advantage in Indiana’s congressional delegation, down from the GOP’s previous seven-to-two edge.

The biggest upset appeared to be in central Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, where Democratic state Sen. J.D. Ford declared victory over three-term Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz in one of the state’s most closely watched contests.

Elsewhere, the AP called races for Democratic U.S. Reps. Frank Mrvan and André Carson, both headed for additional terms in Northwest Indiana and Indianapolis, respectively.

Republican Reps. Marlin Stutzman, Jim Baird, Jefferson Shreve, Mark Messmer and Erin Houchin also secured additional terms, according to AP race calls. Republican U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym maintained a lead in the 2nd Congressional District, which had not yet been called.

The races were part of a national fight for control of the U.S. House, where Republicans entered Election Day holding a narrow majority. The outcome will shape the Trump administration’s ability to advance its agenda on taxes, immigration, federal spending and other priorities.

Nationally, Democrats were making gains in congressional races across the country, with control of the U.S. House still undecided shortly after midnight. Democrats also made significant gains in Senate races, including Republican-held seats, as both parties awaited the final balance of power in Congress.

Ford declares victory over Spartz

In central Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, Ford declared victory over Spartz in a contest that drew national attention in the months leading up to Election Day.

With 98% of votes reporting shortly after midnight, Ford led with 134,476 votes, or 51.66%, according to the AP. The race had not yet been called.

If his lead holds, Ford will move from the Indiana Senate to Washington after eight years in the state legislature. Spartz, first elected to Congress in 2020, had sought a fourth term.

Democrat J.D. Ford declares victory over Victoria Spartz in major upset for Indiana’s 5th District

The district stretches from Hamilton County’s northern suburbs into communities including Anderson, Muncie, Marion and Kokomo.

A Ford victory would mark a reversal from 2024, when Spartz won reelection by more than 18 percentage points. The district had become more reliably Republican after state lawmakers redrew Indiana’s congressional boundaries in 2021.

Both candidates emphasized health care costs and government accountability, but offered different approaches to addressing those concerns.

Spartz campaigned on reducing federal spending, balancing the budget and increasing transparency and competition in health care. Ford pressed for protecting Medicaid funding, preserving rural hospitals, reproductive rights and addressing household costs.

The candidates also took opposing positions on the unsuccessful congressional redistricting effort. Spartz supported the proposed new boundaries, while Ford voted against them in the state Senate.

Mrvan, Carson win additional terms

In Northwest Indiana’s 1st Congressional District, Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan won reelection over Republican Barb Regnitz, a Porter County commissioner seeking to return the seat to Republican control.

Mrvan had received 131,581 votes, or 62.58%, with 85% reporting shortly after midnight, according to AP results.

A Hammond native and former North Township trustee, Mrvan won a fourth term in Congress. His campaign emphasized federal infrastructure investments, union jobs, reproductive rights and reducing prescription drug costs.

Regnitz, whose professional background includes software engineering and financial planning, campaigned on stronger border enforcement, reducing federal spending and supporting law enforcement.

The National Republican Congressional Committee added Regnitz to its MAGA Majority program in July, giving her campaign additional national Republican support.

The candidates also offered different approaches to household affordability, with Mrvan emphasizing federal investment and health care savings while Regnitz argued that spending restraint and reducing inflation would improve families’ purchasing power.

The district, which includes communities along Lake Michigan and the Chicago metropolitan area, has remained in Democratic hands even as Republicans consolidated their hold on much of the rest of Indiana’s congressional delegation.

In the Indianapolis-based 7th Congressional District, Democratic U.S. Rep. André Carson won another term, defeating Republican Patrick McAuley and Libertarian James Sceniak.

Carson had received 145,719 votes, or 76.52%, with 94% reporting shortly after midnight, according to the AP.

Carson, Indiana’s longest-serving current U.S. House member, has represented the district since winning a special election in 2008 following the death of his grandmother, former U.S. Rep. Julia Carson.

His campaign emphasized affordability, infrastructure and equality, while criticizing Trump’s tariffs and reductions in federal assistance programs.

McAuley, who works in commercial real estate, focused on public safety, housing, homelessness and expanding career opportunities. Sceniak, a behavior therapist and previous Libertarian congressional candidate, emphasized privacy protections, lower taxes and veterans’ health care.

Republicans retain northern and central Indiana seats

In north-central Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym held a narrow lead over Democrat Jamee Decio in a three-way contest that also included Libertarian William Henry.

Yakym had received 95,216 votes, or 51.86%, with 86% reporting shortly after midnight, according to the AP. The race had not yet been called.

Yakym, who has held the seat since 2022, campaigned on lower taxes, limited government, reduced regulation and border security.

Decio, a South Bend lawyer and former Elkhart County deputy prosecutor, emphasized lowering everyday costs, protecting Medicaid and Social Security, and requiring data center developers to pay for their own infrastructure needs.

Henry, a military veteran and communications professional, advocated reducing federal spending and regulation, improving veterans’ health care and protecting medical privacy.

The district includes South Bend, Elkhart, Goshen and Warsaw, where the region’s manufacturing economy and the effects of federal trade policy have been campaign issues.

In northeast Indiana, Republican U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman won another term, defeating Democrat Kelly Thompson in the 3rd Congressional District.

Stutzman received 109,692 votes, or 54.88%, with 96% reporting, according to the AP’s tally shortly after midnight.

Stutzman, a farmer and business owner from Howe, returned to Congress after winning the seat in 2024. He previously represented the district before an unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign in 2016.

His reelection platform focused on reducing federal spending, strengthening border security, protecting gun rights and limiting federal involvement in education.

Thompson, a concrete contractor and nonprofit founder from North Webster, campaigned on health care access, wages, housing and government accountability. Her proposals included Medicare for All and prohibiting members of Congress and the president from trading stocks.

The two also differed over congressional redistricting. Stutzman supported another attempt to redraw Indiana’s boundaries. Thompson opposed it.

Farther west, Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Baird won a fifth term in the 4th Congressional District, defeating Democrat Drew Cox, a Purdue University music instructor.

Baird received 112,408 votes, or 54.17%, with 96% reporting shortly after midnight, according to the AP.

Baird, a farmer, small-business owner and Vietnam veteran, emphasized lowering costs, reducing federal regulation, securing the border and supporting energy independence.

Cox campaigned on health care access, workers’ rights, veterans’ services and reducing the influence of money in politics. He also supported overturning the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which struck down restrictions on independent political spending by corporations and unions.

The district includes Lafayette, Crawfordsville and Greencastle, along with surrounding west-central Indiana communities.

GOP incumbents win in southern Indiana

In the 6th Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve won a second term, defeating Democrat Cynthia “Cinde” Wirth in a rematch of their 2024 contest.

Shreve had received 99,497 votes, or 55.96%, with 87% reporting shortly after midnight, according to the AP.

Shreve, a former Indianapolis city-county councilor and businessman, won their previous matchup with 63.9% of the vote.

His campaign priorities included affordability, border security, reduced government spending, infrastructure and support for farmers and small businesses.

Wirth, a Columbus-based small-business owner, scientist and former high school teacher, campaigned on public education, affordable health care, environmental protection and support for working families.

The district includes communities south of Indianapolis and extends east to Richmond.

In southwestern Indiana, Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Messmer defeated Democrat Mary Allen in the 8th Congressional District.

Messmer received 117,503 votes, or 55.24%, with 94% reporting shortly after midnight, according to the AP.

Messmer, a former Indiana state senator and Senate majority leader, was first elected to Congress in 2024 after winning the seat previously held by Republican Larry Bucshon.

Allen, an at-large Evansville City Council member, small-business owner and Army Reserve veteran, campaigned on protecting Medicaid and Medicare, preserving rural hospitals, increasing affordable housing and reducing the cost of essential goods.

The district, which was once known for competitive elections and changes in party control, has been held by Republicans since 2010.

In the 9th Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin won a third term, defeating Democrat Brad Meyer and Libertarian Tonya Hudson.

Houchin received 120,835 votes, or 54.14%, with 93% reporting shortly after midnight, according to the AP.

Houchin, a former state senator from Salem, campaigned on border security, reduced federal spending, abortion restrictions and parental involvement in education.

Meyer, a Bloomington electronics engineer, supported Medicare for All, higher wages, stronger collective bargaining rights and reducing housing and education costs.

Hudson, a real estate broker from Mitchell, called for abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, moving toward a sales-tax-based system and reducing federal regulations.

The district includes Bloomington and communities along the Ohio River, including New Albany.

“Tonight, I am thinking about the families, farmers, small-business owners, veterans, and citizens across Southern Indiana who inspire my service. Every conversation, every handshake, and every vote is a reminder of why I entered public service: to fight for the people of Indiana,” Houchin said in a late Tuesday statement.

“I do not take this responsibility lightly,” she continued. “I will continue working to hold government accountable, lower the cost of healthcare, secure our elections, strengthen our communities, and make sure Washington works for Hoosiers.”

Indiana’s delegation and the next Congress

If the remaining leads hold, Indiana’s nine-member U.S. House delegation would include three Democrats and six Republicans when the next Congress convenes in January.

Indiana’s two U.S. senators, Republicans Todd Young and Jim Banks, were not on the ballot this year.

The next Congress will confront decisions over federal spending, health care programs, immigration and the Trump administration’s legislative priorities.

The results also follow nearly a year of political conflict in Indiana over congressional redistricting.

Hoosier voters chose representatives under the same boundaries used in the previous two elections after an unsuccessful effort last year by Trump and other Republicans to redraw the state’s political boundaries ahead of the midterms.

The Indiana Senate rejected the proposed map in December on a 31-19 vote, with 21 Republicans joining all 10 Democrats to block a plan designed to give the GOP a chance at winning all nine seats.

The decision meant candidates ran under the same district boundaries approved by state lawmakers in 2021.