Gerald Walters

Gerald Walters (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Indiana's 7th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on May 3, 2022.

Walters completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Gerald Walters was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Walters earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana University in 1976. Walters’ career experience includes owning a business.^[1]

Elections

2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Incumbent André Carson defeated Angela Grabovsky and Gavin Maple in the general election for U.S. House Indiana District 7 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		André Carson (D)	67.0	117,309
		Angela Grabovsky (R)	30.6	53,631
	Submit photo	Gavin Maple (L)	2.4	4,240

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 175,180
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Incumbent André Carson defeated Curtis Godfrey and Pierre Quincy Pullins in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7 on May 3, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	André Carson	93.9	36,242
	Curtis Godfrey	4.0	1,526
	Pierre Quincy Pullins	2.2	830

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 38,598
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Angela Grabovsky defeated Rusty Johnson, Jennifer Pace, Bill Allen, and Gerald Walters in the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7 on May 3, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Angela Grabovsky	53.6	6,886
	Rusty Johnson	17.0	2,185
	Jennifer Pace	12.1	1,556
	Bill Allen	11.7	1,505
	Gerald Walters	5.6	722

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,854
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Jimmy Klosowski (R)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Gavin Maple defeated Ted Rusk in the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Indiana District 7 on March 5, 2022.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Gavin Maple (L)
	Submit photo	Ted Rusk (L)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2020

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Republican primary)

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Incumbent André Carson defeated Susan Marie Smith in the general election for U.S. House Indiana District 7 on November 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	André Carson (D)	62.4	176,422
	Susan Marie Smith (R)	37.6	106,146

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 282,568
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Andrew Warner (L)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Incumbent André Carson defeated Pierre Quincy Pullins in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7 on June 2, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	André Carson	91.8	62,117
	Pierre Quincy Pullins	8.2	5,572

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 67,689
= 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 U.S. House Indiana District 7

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Susan Marie Smith	43.1	10,705
	Submit photo	Douglas Merrill	14.2	3,519
		J.D. Miniear	14.2	3,517
	Submit photo	Jon Davis	10.9	2,712
	Submit photo	Martin Ramey	8.9	2,209
		Gerald Walters	8.8	2,189

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 24,851
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Wayne Harmon (R)

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

Gerald Walters completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Walters' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in the most poverty stricken part of the city. This was very close to what was called the Lockwood gardens federal low income housing projects. I grew up dirt poor. I know poverty having seen it close up front and personal. I still bear some of the scars that could only be attached to a life of very very humble beginnings. Later on I graduated from Indiana University, and became a small business owner.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I would like to bring back some sanity to the federal government. Defund the police, open borders, inflation with rising gas and food prices, crime in the streets, higher taxes and government spending. Where will it end? I will fight against these crazy policies every day.
National debt is now 30 trillion. Does our government understand what a trillion means. Let's trade dollars for second. Spend one million you would be living two weeks in the past. Spend a billion you would be living somewhere back in the 80s. Spend 1 trillion and there would be Neanderthals walking around like 35,000 years ago the spending has got to stop I will fight every day against this kind of spending.
Southern border wide open. All the illegal drugs coming across. The drugs go to the big cities. What happens then, the gangs fight and kill over distribution rights. They kill police, they kill children, and they kill each other. Drug overdoses are now the number one killer of people 18 to 45. Over 100,000 last year alone. Why are the Democrats not closing the border and eliminating this insanity. I will fight this everyday nonstop.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Stop big tech influence and censorship of public communications. I was personally dropped by Facebook simply for posting conservative ideas. We need to take away section 230 and allow people to sue big tech. Inflation highest since Jimmy Carter, 40 years. In your face at the gas station, at the grocery store, winter heating bills. I will fight against these Democrat policies. Crime in the cities is now a disaster I will fight to improve and fund law enforcement. I will fight to educate inner city minorities about how the Democrat party is not doing them any favors. Maybe instead of blindly voting Democrat they will see the light and start voting in their own interest.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Ronald Reagan, he said" Mr. Gorbachev tear down that wall", he ended the Cold War. A great president.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A representative should be seen and heard in the district. Be able to find a way to communicate with constituents. Have repour with city and state representatives. Personally support economic and social issues the public wants. People of the 7th district rich or poor I will see you I will hear you I will feel you and I will serve you.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The Korean War I was nine years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Picked fruit and vegetables in the season, I was six and seven years old. Paper route when I was eight, had that for two years. First adult job I was 21 working in a factory days and going to school nights. I worked there nine years.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Mona Lisa by Nat King Cole

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I grew up dirt poor, and inner city boy. From where I began, to graduating from Indiana University was a journey of 1000 miles. I have a wealth of education and experience that will enable me to connect and communicate with people of the 7th district.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The house does in a way regulate money, but the Senate and the president must also say OK. We must find a way to unite. It must be something short of being invaded by foreign troops. I don't know the answer we just can't afford to go further and further in debt there is a point of no return.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

There are a lot of experienced people in government now. Most want things to stay just the same, and don't rock the boat. I think we should vote out all the lawyers and vote in more truck drivers and construction workers. A few people who know something about sweat and hard work.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Budget, cut back on spending. Energy, go back to being an energy exporter. Judiciary, real in big tech, no more censorship. Education we should be there, we should be teaching children reading writing arithmetic instead of wokeism racism and genderism. Another challenge is the rise of China as an economic and military power.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Two years is OK but limit the number of terms.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

The division in our country and how to solve it. I do not see unity in the near future. What kind of progress do we want? In the coming election if you vote Democrat you will be supporting bigger government, higher gas and food prices, defund the police, and more crime and corruption. Vote republican for less government, lower prices, less taxes and inflation, law and order, safe streets and a secure southern border. Compromise on these, or many more significant issues. It's your choice which party do you want? I'm a conservative republican and I want to see this democratic insanity come to an end. Vote Gerald and help me make that happen.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Gerald Walters completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Walters' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a guy who grew up next door to the project, the ghetto. This area was close to what was known as the Lockwood gardens federal low income housing projects. My house, on the banks of Fall Creek, was 3 blocks from what was at the time the Indianapolis city dump. We called it shanty town, and people called us "poor white trash." Later I worked in a factory and went to college at night. Finally graduated after 7 years. it was on again off again because all of the money was coming out of my own pocket. Tried several corporate America jobs, nothing seems to fit. took over from a relative tree trimming, tree removal business. at first, you stand at the bottom of a 90 foot Oak tree and look up. then you put on spikes, belts, and ropes, and climb to the top. Then you cut wood in to 100 pound logs and throw on a truck. after a few years, you hire people to do all that, you step back and run the business. I am an educated man that knows all about serious hard physical labor. I also know politics! in the last 2 years, i have personally made over 1400 phone calls to congress, to the department of justice, and several state attorney generals across the country. I am well versed on political issues.well capable of debating anyone,anytime,on the isssues.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

im worried about china's rise to power.they are getting stronger militarily and economically
the national debt is headed toward its highest level since world war 2
homelessness in america is growing at an alarming rate.we must do better,and we will. i will lead.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

im worried about the national debt. Sunset is good to borrow money while interest rates are low. The cost of servicing the debt is low. I don't disagree, that at this particular time, that may be true. It is this trend of continued upward momentum that Must be stopped. Do we cut Medicaid, Social Security, defense? Medicaid and Social Security are making up a larger and larger share of the debt. Social Security will not be able to pay for benefits after 2034, Medicare trust fund will be completely broke after 2026 we need a mechanism that will cause current officeholders to act. something that will clearly tell congressman, either do something, or you will pay a very painful political price.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Im a christian conservative. Overcame extreme poverty, and was the first in my family to graduate college. I believe that America is truly an exceptional nation. I believe in church, family, apple pie, and the American way.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To unequivocally represent the views of their immediate distract. To many, upon election spend the rest of their time trying to get reelected. I believe in the concept of "citizen legislatures". That is serve a couple of terms, then go home. Get out of Washington.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

at the age of 21 I worked in a factory and attended college at night. I worked there for 10 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. We learn so much from the history of the great empires of the past.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not necessarily, I believe in term limits. House two three year terms. Senate two six year terms. No one should be in congress twenty or thirty years. The longer a person is in congress the wider the door to corruption opens. New people with no experience could bring in a new fresh perspective.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Relations with china. The rise of socialism within our borders. Medicare, and social security going broke.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Ronald Reagan. He was conservative. He said "Mr.Gorbachev tear down that wall!" His speech and mannerisms had that genuine ring of sincerity.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

External links

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Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 10, 2022

[show]

Indiana's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Jim Banks (R)

Todd Young (R)

Representatives

District 1

Frank Mrvan (D)

District 2

Rudy Yakym (R)

District 3

Marlin Stutzman (R)

District 4

Jim Baird (R)

District 5

Victoria Spartz (R)

District 6

Jefferson Shreve (R)

District 7

André Carson (D)

District 8

Mark Messmer (R)

District 9

Erin Houchin (R)

Republican Party (9)

Democratic Party (2)

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 10, 2022

[1]

	v • e State of Indiana Indianapolis (capital)
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Gerald Walters

Biography

Elections

2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Indiana District 7

2020

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 7

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

2020

See also

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Footnotes

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