Open Indiana congressional seats not shaping up to be competitive

Indiana’s nine U.S. House seats and one of the state’s two Senate seats are up for grabs in the Nov. 5 election, but most haven’t emerged as especially competitive.

U.S. Sen. Mike Braun is leaving the Senate seat to run for governor, where he’s locked into what increasingly seems like a competitive race.

In his place, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-3rd District, is the GOP nominee in the Senate race, which, of course, opens up the 3rd District seat.

In addition, U.S. Reps. Greg Pence, R-6th District, and Larry Bucshon, R-8th District, opted not to run again.

Here’s a rundown of Indianapolis-area Hoosiers running to represent their neighbors in Washington, D.C. (plus, one House race in Northwest Indiana that could be competitive).

Banks seeking to move to Senate

Banks is considered the frontrunner to fill the state’s junior Senate seat, although Democrat Valerie McCray would like to flip the seat from red to blue. Libertarian Andrew Horning is also on the ballot.

Since launching his Senate campaign, Banks has raised $6.5 million and spent $4.3 million, according to Federal Election Commission filings through Sept. 30. He has $3.6 million left on hand and owes $27,000. McCray has brought in $129,000 with $32,000 on hand; she has spent $101,000 as of Oct. 16.

Following a stint in the Indiana Senate and military deployment to Afghanistan, Banks was elected to serve in the U.S. House in 2016. His campaign priorities mirror the several hot-button issues he’s weighed in on previously. He is pushing for conservative legislation concerning immigration, abortion and “wokeness in schools and sports.” 

His challenger, McCray, says her 35 years of working in psychology has illustrated the mental health impact certain policies have on vulnerable individuals. Her campaign is running on a long slate of issues including abortion rights, health care and mental health care reform and affordable housing.

Incumbent Mrvan defending seat from Niemeyer

Democrat incumbent U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan is seeking to retain his seat against Republican challenger Randy Niemeyer in a race Republicans are attempting to make competitive. Libertarian Dakotah Miskus is also on the ballot. 

Mrvan has nearly tripled Niemeyer’s fundraising, coming in at $2.9 million with $1 million on hand as of Sept. 30. He has spent nearly $2 million so far. Niemeyer has raised $1 million and spent about $330,000. He’s left with $675,000 on hand.

National race-raters believe the Northwest Indiana congressional district still heavily leans blue and have not indicated the seat is especially flippable during an election that could swing the House majority. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled his confidence last month when he told the IndyStar that “this seat is one that belongs in the Republican column.”

After serving as North Township Trustee and working in pharmaceuticals, Mrvan was first elected to the House in 2022 to succeed longtime Sen. Peter Visclosky. He has largely toed the party line thus far, and his re-election bid hits on typical party policy focuses, such as reproductive rights, environmental protections, infrastructure funding and public school support. 

Niemeyer has spent most of his career working for and eventually owning his family business, Niemeyer Milk Transfer Inc. He highlights his time on the Cedar Lake Town Council and applauds public safety investments made during his tenure. His campaign has also largely stuck to the party line, listing the border, inflation, law enforcement support and balanced energy policy as his key priorities.

Carson in cruise control amid Schmitz’s underfunded campaign

Democrat incumbent Andre Carson appears prime to retain his House seat in what has been a historically deep blue district in Indianapolis. His Republican challenger John Schmitz is looking for an upset, despite a financial and ideological disadvantage. Libertarian Rusty Johnson is also on the ballot. 

Excluding his first run for Congress in 2008, Carson’s campaign contributions have hovered either at or slightly below $1 million each reelection season. This year is no different with the campaign raising $716,000 so far with $511,00 on hand. He has spent $916,000.

Schmitz is trying to develop a grassroots base of support as his financial contributions haven’t kept pace. He has raised $54,000 and spent $34,000. He is left with $19,000 on hand. 

Carson, a former Indianapolis City-County Council and law enforcement officer, has largely stuck to Democratic priorities during his 16 years in Congress. He has supported legislation to cap certain health care prices, reform law enforcement practices and fund infastructure projects.

Marion County precinct members selected Schmitz as the Republican nominee as a replacement for replacement for Jennifer Pace, who died in March but won the Republican primary. Schmitz owns a construction company and co-founded the Mars Hill Arts Center. He said he is running to make the “government to serve people instead of the people serving the government” and has listed immigration, inflation and energy as pressing issues in an interview with WFYI. 

Shreve expected to win in heavy GOP district

Republican Jefferson Shreve’s spending wasn’t enough to win him the race for Indianapolis mayor in 2023. However, the nearly $6 million he loaned himself this election cycle was enough to bat off six primary challengers. He faces Democratic candidate Cynthia Wirth in November. Libertarian James Sceniak is also on the ballot.

As of Sept. 30, Shreve had $153,000 cash on hand in his campaign account and owed himself $5.9 million. As of the filing deadline, Shreve had only spent $100,000 in the general election. Wirth has raised $24,053 this election cycle. At the end of the campaign reporting period, she had $15,310 on hand and owed $18,242 in loans. 

Pence announced in January that he would not seek reelection in the heavily Republican district. Shreve, a successful businessman and former Indianapolis city-county councilor, sold his self-storage company in 2022 for $590 million. His previous campaign spent millions on TV advertising with messages aimed at a mostly Democratic voting base that staked out moderate positions, including gun control measures. His Republican competitors in the congressional primary took shots at those stances, but Shreve came out of the primary victorious.

Today, the candidate’s website touts conservative priorities like protecting the right to bear arms, maintaining abortion restrictions, securing the southern U.S. border, reining in government spending and supporting police and military.

Wirth is in her second run for the seat. She challenged Pence in 2022 and received 32.5% of the vote to Pence’s 67.5%.

Wirth is an environmental scientist and former educator who works in renewable energy and has previously held congressional fellowships focused on environmental policy. The Columbus woman lists public education, a clean and safe environment, LGBTQ rights, reproductive freedom and affordable childcare among her priorities.

After flip-flop on running, Spartz the front-runner in 5th

U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz reentered the race for Indiana’s 5th District in February, almost a year after she said she would not seek reelection. Despite her late entrance and primary competitor State Rep. Chuck Goodrich’s expensive campaign, Spartz won a Republican primary against eight challengers. Now she faces Democrat Deborah Pickett, Libertarian Lauri Shillings and independent Robby Slaughter in the general election.

Spartz had raised $1.8 million through Sept. 30 and had spent $3.2 million, thanks to money she had in her campaign fund at the start of the year. Most of the her spending came during the primary. As of Sept. 30, she had $211,000 cash on hand and owed $700,000 for a loan she made to her own campaign.

As of June 30, Pickett reported that her campaign had a negative balance of $146.27. She reported then that she had raised $18,000. She has not since filled election finance information. 

Spartz was born in Ukraine in 1978, when it controlled by the Soviet Union, and immigrated to the United States in 2000. She became a U.S. citizen in 2006. In Congress, she has supported legislation banning mask mandates and vaccine requirements and in favor of gun rights Her priorities for a potential next term include strengthening the southern border, reducing the national debt and increasing health care billing competition.

Pickett, a military veteran lives in Carmel and is a volunteer. She is retired from a role at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank and policy research group.