Chris Garten
Chris Garten (Republican Party) is a member of the Indiana State Senate, representing District 45. He assumed office on November 7, 2018. His current term ends on November 4, 2026.
Garten (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the Indiana State Senate to represent District 45. He is on the ballot in the Republican primary on May 5, 2026.[source]
Biography
Chris Garten graduated from Scottsburg High School. Garten served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He studied at Indiana University Southeast. Garten's career experience includes owning a small business.[1]
Committee assignments
2025-2026
Garten was assigned to the following committees:
- Appropriations Committee
- Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee
- Senate Joint Rules Committee
- Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee
2023-2024
Garten was assigned to the following committees:
- Appropriations Committee
- Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee, Ranking Member
- Senate Joint Rules Committee, Chair
2021-2022
Garten was assigned to the following committees:
- Appropriations Committee
- Senate Environmental Affairs Committee
- Homeland Security and Transportation Committee
- Senate Public Policy Committee, Ranking member
- Veterans Affairs and the Military Committee
2019-2020
Garten was assigned to the following committees:
- Commerce and Technology Committee
- Homeland Security and Transportation Committee
- Pensions and Labor Committee
- Veterans Affairs and the Military Committee
- Utilities Committee
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2026
See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on May 5, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for Indiana State Senate District 45
Larry Mahaney (L) is running in the general election for Indiana State Senate District 45 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Larry Mahaney (L) | ||
| ||||
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Democratic primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 45
Nick Marshall (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 45 on May 5, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Nick Marshall | |
| ||||
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Republican primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 45
Incumbent Chris Garten (R) is running in the Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 45 on May 5, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Chris Garten | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Libertarian Party convention
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Libertarian convention for Indiana State Senate District 45
Larry Mahaney (L) advanced from the Libertarian Party convention for Indiana State Senate District 45 on March 22, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Larry Mahaney | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2022
See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Indiana State Senate District 45
Incumbent Chris Garten defeated Nick Marshall in the general election for Indiana State Senate District 45 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Chris Garten (R) | 62.1 | 25,767 |
| Nick Marshall (D) | 37.9 | 15,746 | |
| Total votes: 41,513 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 45
Nick Marshall advanced from the Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 45 on May 3, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Nick Marshall | 100.0 | 3,615 |
| Total votes: 3,615 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 45
Incumbent Chris Garten advanced from the Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 45 on May 3, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Chris Garten | 100.0 | 6,228 |
| Total votes: 6,228 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
2018
- See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Indiana State Senate District 45
Chris Garten defeated John Perkins and Charles Johnson in the general election for Indiana State Senate District 45 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Chris Garten (R) | 62.7 | 30,357 |
| John Perkins (D) | 34.1 | 16,493 | ||
 | Charles Johnson (L) | 3.2 | 1,554 | |
| Total votes: 48,404 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 45
John Perkins advanced from the Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 45 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | John Perkins | 100.0 | 6,797 | |
| Total votes: 6,797 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 45
Chris Garten advanced from the Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 45 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Chris Garten | 100.0 | 7,324 |
| Total votes: 7,324 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
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2022
Chris Garten did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Indiana General Assembly in 2025.
- ACLU of Indiana — Legislators are rated based on their votes related to civil liberties.
- Indiana Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Indiana Family Institute — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to social issues.
- The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Indiana General Assembly in 2024.
- ACLU of Indiana — Legislators are rated based on their votes related to civil liberties.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Indiana Coalition for Public Education — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to public education.
- Indiana Family Institute — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to social issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Indiana General Assembly in 2023.
- ACLU of Indiana — Legislators are rated based on their votes related to civil liberties.
- Indiana AFL-CIO — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor issues.
- Indiana Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Indiana Family Institute — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to social issues.
- Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Indiana General Assembly in 2022.
- ACLU of Indiana — Legislators are rated based on their votes related to civil liberties.
- Indiana AFL-CIO — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor issues.
- Indiana Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Indiana Coalition for Public Education — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to public education.
- Indiana Family Institute — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to social issues.
- Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation — Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the Quaker community.
- Indiana Manufacturers Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on whether they supported or opposed IMA's position on a bill.
- Indiana Scorecard — Legislators are scored on votes by bills supported by the organization.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Indiana General Assembly in 2021.
- ACLU of Indiana — Legislators are rated based on their votes related to civil liberties.
- Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana — Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to consumer interests.
- Indiana AFL-CIO — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor issues.
- Indiana Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Indiana Coalition for Public Education — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to public education.
- Indiana Family Institute — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to social issues.
- Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation — Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the Quaker community.
- Indiana Manufacturers Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on whether they supported or opposed IMA's position on a bill.
- Indiana Scorecard — Legislators are scored on votes by bills supported by the organization.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Indiana General Assembly in 2020.
- Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana — Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to consumer interests.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Indiana AFL-CIO — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor issues.
- Indiana Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Indiana Coalition for Public Education — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to public education.
- Indiana Family Institute — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to social issues.
- Indiana Manufacturers Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on whether they supported or opposed IMA's position on a bill.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Indiana General Assembly in 2019.
- Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Indiana AFL-CIO — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor issues.
- Indiana Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Indiana Manufacturers Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on whether they supported or opposed IMA's position on a bill.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Smith (R) |
Indiana State Senate District 45 2018-Present |
Succeeded by - |
