Democrats running in nearly all Indiana legislative races while GOP not challenging 20 House seats

Democratic candidates will appear on the November ballot for nearly all Indiana legislative seats up for election this fall — while Republicans are sitting out more than 20 races.

The two major parties had until noon Monday to fill candidate vacancies that remained following the May 5 primaries.

Democrats filled seven such vacancies for Indiana House seats, giving them candidates for 97 of the 100 seats. 

Republicans added two candidates, which left 20 current Democratic legislators without a GOP challenger, according to filings with the Indiana Election Division. That includes 10 districts in Indianapolis and five in Lake County.

Democrats “excited to provide voters with a choice”

The Indiana House Democratic Caucus touted the party’s candidate list as its largest this century. 

It comes as Republicans enter this year’s elections with a 70-30 House majority, with Democrats aiming to pick up at least the four seats needed to break the two-thirds supermajority that allows Republicans to take action without Democrats even being present.

National Democratic group aims to help break GOP’s Indiana House supermajority

“This November, over 6.5 million Hoosiers will have a Democrat running in their Statehouse district,” House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta said in a statement. “Indiana Democrats are excited to provide voters with a choice at the ballot box, and we stand ready to fight back against extreme policies that don’t serve our communities.”

The seven new Democratic House candidates are all running against current Republican legislators who’ve previously won elections by wide margins.

Republicans, meanwhile, selected a candidate for what was a closely contested seat in the 2024 election when Democratic Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn of Fishers won a second term with 52% of the vote.

She’ll be challenged by Paul Nix, who finished third in the 2022 Republican primary for the seat with 12%.

The House Republican Campaign Committee, the election arm of the Indiana House GOP, did not reply to a request for comment from the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

Each party sitting out one Senate race

Republicans and Democrats left one candidate vacancy each among the 25 Indiana Senate seats on the November ballot.

Republicans won’t have a candidate in the Indianapolis district where Democrat Allissa Impink is seeking to replace Sen. Andrea Hunley, who has entered the 2027 race for mayor.

Democrats aren’t opposing Republican Jeff Ellington for the southern Indiana seat now held by GOP Sen. Eric Bassler, who did not seek reelection. Democrat Joseph Baughman withdrew after running unopposed in the primary.

Republicans now hold a commanding 40-10 Senate majority.