Indiana’s primary elections are coming up on May 7 at designated polling locations across the state. While primaries tend to have a lower interest for voters, for Indiana it could mean overturning nearly two decades of a Republican supermajority in the state. CityBeat’s readership stretches beyond state lines into Southeastern Indiana where House District 9 and State House District 68 cover the majority of Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland counties. Candidates from these districts will be running in U.S. House and State House primaries – key races to follow as Hoosiers continue to live in a state with a near-total ban on abortion care.
Whether you’re planning ahead or doing last-minute research in line at your polling location, read on for a complete voter’s guide to Indiana’s federal and local primary races.
The Candidates
State Governor
While Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb has served his term limit as incumbent, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch is one of the six Republicans vying to step in as his replacement. The winning Republican will face off against unopposed Democrat Jennifer McCormick, Libertarian Donald Rainwater and Independent Christopher Stried in November.
Republicans:
Eric Doden
- President of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation during former Vice President Mike Pence's governorship
- Previously the CEO of Greater Fort Wayne Inc., Allen County's business chamber
- Endorsed by Right to Life of Northeast Indiana
- Second Amendment advocate
Sen. Mike Braun
- Has served as junior U.S. senator from Indiana since 2019
- Supports a U.S.-Mexico border wall
- Wants to “stand up to woke corporations”
- Anti-abortion
Brad Chambers
- Former Indiana Secretary of Commerce
- CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and founder of real estate firm Buckingham Companies
- Critic of Chinese government influence and surveillance
- Lowering taxes and extending property tax relief through 2025
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch
- Has served as Lieutenant Governor since 2017
- Former Indiana state auditor
- Eliminating the state income tax
- Anti-abortion
Curtis Hill
- Served as Elkhart County prosecutor and Attorney General of Indiana
- Law license was temporarily suspended while in office in 2023 after state Supreme Court ruled he criminally battered four women
- Boosting Indiana’s economy and small businesses
- Anti-abortion
Jamie Reitenour
- Executive director of a “maternity support” nonprofit Garden for Life
- Advocating to “cease all abortions in the state”
- Believes internship programs for young adults will grow economy
- Supports Indiana’s school choice program
Indiana U.S. Senate
The winning Democrat will face off against unopposed Republican Rep. Jim Banks, Libertarian Andy Horning and Independents Sean Dada and Richard Kent in November.
Democrats:
Marc Carmichael
- Former member of the Indiana House of Representatives
- Supports reclassifying marijuana from a schedule 1 to schedule 3 drug
- Banning the sale of semi-automatic assault weapons
- Restoring abortion care access
Dr. Valerie Lin McCray
- Licensed mental health clinician
- First Black female candidate for U.S. Senate from Indiana
- Opposes term limits
- Restoring abortion care access
Indiana Ninth Congressional District (includes neighboring Franklin, Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland counties, as well as 14 other counties stretching out east)
Democrats:
D. Liam Dorris
- U.S. Marine Corps veteran
- Supporter of Democratic Socialists of America
- Advocating for economic justice for all
- In favor of ranked-choice voting
Dr. Timothy Peck
- Supports increasing funding for border security, immigration judges and asylum officers
- Former CEO of CareScout Services at Genworth, an elderly healthcare network
- Increasing economic empowerment and protecting workers' rights
- Reproductive healthcare access
Republicans:
Rep. Erin Houchin (incumbent)
- Former Indiana State Senator for District 47
- Voted for a moratorium on aid to Ukraine
- Anti-abortion
- Pro-Israel
Hugh Doty
- Supports term limits in Congress
- Higher pay for public school teachers
- Supports a U.S.-Mexico border wall
- Reducing national debt
Indiana House of Representatives District 68 (includes all of Dearborn, Ohio, Switzerland and part of Jefferson County)
Democrat Lisa Barker will face off against Republican Garrett Bascom in November.
Democrat:
Lisa Barker
- Real estate broker and property manager for Key Real Estate Indiana
- In favor of judicial and law enforcement reform
- Investing in K-12 and higher education
- Advocate of increased veteran services
Republican:
Garrett Bascom
- Attorney and co-founder of law firm Bascom & Kisor LLC
- Investing in mental health support
- Supports Indiana as a “constitutional carry state”
- Anti-abortion
View your sample ballot and find your polling location on the Indiana state government's official website.
