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Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Republican primary)

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Indiana's 5th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: February 7, 2020
Primary: June 2, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent:
Susan Brooks (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Voting in Indiana
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Inside Elections: Tilt Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
Indiana's 5th Congressional District
1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th
Indiana elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

Victoria Spartz (R) defeated 14 other candidates to win the Republican nomination in Indiana's 5th Congressional District on June 2, 2020. Spartz received 39.8% of the vote. Beth Henderson (R) received 17.6% and Micah Beckwith (R) had 12.8%. No other candidate had more than 10% of the vote. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R) did not run for re-election, leaving the seat open. Spartz advanced to the November 3, 2020 general election, which was expected to be competitive. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee listed the 5th District as one of its 2020 target districts.

President Donald Trump (R) won 53 percent of the vote in the 5th District during the 2016 presidential election.[1] During the 2018 midterm elections, U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, a Democrat, won 48.4 percent of the vote in the 5th District over Mike Braun's (R) 47.9 percent. Braun ultimately won the statewide election that year.[2]

According to local news sources, three candidates—Carl Brizzi, Beth Henderson, and Victoria Spartz— received the most airtime on television.[3] Spartz led the field in fundraising. Over 90% of the satellite spending in this primary came from Club for Growth in the form of ads and mailers opposing Brizzi and Henderson. Club for Growth endorsed Spartz in the primary.[4]

Brizzi was an attorney. He served as Marion County Prosecutor from 2003 to 2011. Henderson was a nurse and co-owner of Achieva Inc., a technical communications and adult learning firm. Spartz represented District 20 in the Indiana State Senate. She was appointed to the position in 2017.

Kent Abernathy, Andrew Bales, Micah Beckwith, Allen Davidson, Chuck Dietzen, Matthew Hook, Matthew Hullinger, Kelly Mitchell, Mark Small, Russell Stwalley, and Victor Wakley also ran in the primary.

Bales participated in a Candidate Conversation with Ballotpedia and EnCiv. Click here to watch.

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:


Brizzi
Henderson
Spartz


This page focuses on Indiana's 5th Congressional District Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Democratic Party Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Democratic primary)
Independent Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2020

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Indiana modified its primary election process as follows:

  • Election postponements: The primary election was postponed from May 5, 2020, to June 2.
  • Voting procedures: All voters were allowed to cast their ballots by mail in the primary election.
  • Political party events: Both the Democratic and Republican parties of Indiana canceled their in-person state conventions. The parties opted instead to conduct convention business virtually and by mail.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.


Candidates and election results

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Victoria Spartz
Victoria Spartz
 
39.7
 
34,526
Image of Beth Henderson
Beth Henderson
 
17.6
 
15,343
Image of Micah Beckwith
Micah Beckwith Candidate Connection
 
12.7
 
11,063
Image of Carl Brizzi
Carl Brizzi
 
6.5
 
5,619
Image of Kent Abernathy
Kent Abernathy Candidate Connection
 
5.6
 
4,901
Image of Kelly Mitchell
Kelly Mitchell
 
5.3
 
4,643
Image of Chuck Dietzen
Chuck Dietzen
 
4.7
 
4,071
Image of Matthew Hook
Matthew Hook Candidate Connection
 
2.5
 
2,147
Image of Andrew Bales
Andrew Bales Candidate Connection
 
1.5
 
1,329
Image of Mark Small
Mark Small Candidate Connection
 
1.2
 
1,057
Image of Danny Niederberger
Danny Niederberger Candidate Connection
 
0.8
 
675
Image of Victor Wakley
Victor Wakley Candidate Connection
 
0.5
 
465
Image of Allen Davidson
Allen Davidson
 
0.5
 
411
Image of Russell Stwalley
Russell Stwalley Candidate Connection
 
0.4
 
379
Image of Matthew Hullinger
Matthew Hullinger Candidate Connection
 
0.4
 
333

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 86,962
Candidate Connection = 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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Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[5] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Kent Abernathy

Image of Kent Abernathy

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Duty. Honor. Country. These tenets of the West Point motto have been my guiding light throughout my life. I am a veteran, businessman, and leader. In Congress, I will put country first and focus on providing solutions. I served 30 years in the Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard, earning a Bronze Star for service in Iraq. In business, I gained a comprehensive knowledge of the factors which spur economic growth and create jobs. I have never run for elected office, but I did serve in the administrations of Governor Mitch Daniels and Governor Mike Pence. Working for Governor Daniels, I learned the importance of fiscal responsibility as part of an administration that generated a $2.1 billion surplus and the state's first AAA credit rating. When Governor Pence asked me to straighten out issues at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, I lead transformational change that simplified and streamlined operations, resulting in a 96.3% citizen satisfaction rating. My broad experience and demonstrated record of success in business, the military, and state and federal government has given me a unique perspective and positioned me as the candidate best able to represent the citizens of Indiana's 5th Congressional district. My website is www.kentabernathy.com."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

As a member of Congress, I will defend the Constitution, support our military, honor our veterans, and pay down our debt.

The individual right to bear arms is guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution. In Congress, I will make sure that right is never taken away.

We must protect the rights of the unborn. I will oppose legislation that uses tax dollars to fund abortion.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.

Andrew Bales

Image of Andrew Bales

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "My name is Andrew Bales. I'm running for office in Indiana's 5th Congressional District. I am a father to three beautiful girls, a Persian Gulf Veteran, former Public School teacher, and concerned citizen. After careful consideration, I've decided to run for office. "

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Staunch Supporter of the 2nd Amendment. I will not vote for any Legislation seeking to limit 2nd Amendment rights of Citizens

Balanced Budget - We must stop spending beyond our means and start paying down the National Debt

Federal Legalization and De-Scheduling of Marijuana. Marijuana should not be classified as a Schedule 1 drug.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.

Micah Beckwith

Image of Micah Beckwith

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Micah Beckwith earned his B.S. in Business (with an emphasis in Management and Economics and Finance) from Huntington College in 2005. Beckwith has served as a pastor at White River Christian Church in Noblesville and is currently a student ministry worship pastor at Northview Church. Beckwith has owned and operated small businesses since 2005. He has lived in the district for over a decade. "

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

I will fight for the constitution and stand for constitutional values.

I will defend the right to life and every American's right to religious freedom.

I will fight to defend our nation's borders, and to make our community a pro-business district-always working to cut taxes, cut regulations and spend taxpayer dollars wisely.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.

Carl Brizzi

Image of Carl Brizzi

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Marion County Prosecutor (2003-2011)

Biography:  Brizzi received a bachelor's degree in political science and government from Indiana University at Bloomington (1990) and a J.D. from Valparaiso University (1993). He worked as an attorney and hosted a weekly radio show on WIBC. Brizzi served as senior investigative counsel to the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Brizzi said he was the only candidate who had experience investigating the Chinese government, citing his experience working for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He said, "President Trump and I will hold the Chinese government accountable."

Brizzi highlighted his experience as a prosecutor, saying, "I am a battle-tested, experienced, tough prosecutor who knows what's right and isn't afraid to fight those who exploit fear and steal liberty."

Brizzi said he would protect the right to self-defense, saying, "Disarming law abiding citizens has nothing to do with public safety." He added, "The issue is not with guns. The issue is that good people live among bad people seeking to cause harm."

Show sources

Sources: YouTube, "Vote Brizzi 5th District Indiana," April 24, 2020, Brizzi's 2020 campaign website, "Brizzi's Experience Investigating the Chinese Government," accessed May 29, 2020, Facebook, "Vote Brizzi," April 21, 2020, Current, "Brizzi aims to protect liberties," March 14, 2020; Brizzi's 2020 campaign website, "About Carl," May 29, 2020, LinkedIn, "Carl Brizzi," accessed May 29, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.

Beth Henderson

Image of Beth Henderson

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Henderson received a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Her professional background included work as a nurse and in agriculture. At the time of the primary, Henderson was the co-owner of Achieva, Inc., a technical communications and adult learning firm.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Henderson emphasized her support of President Donald Trump (R) and said, "That's why top Trump allies like Senator Mike Braun [R-Ind.] and Trump 2016 Indiana Campaign Chairman Rex Early have endorsed [her] campaign."

Regarding Spartz and Club for Growth, Henderson said, "my opponent and her Washington allies have been dishonest about my character and beliefs." She added, "As a nurse, small business owner, wife and mother I take my vow of integrity and honesty very seriously."

Henderson described herself as a conservative political newcomer. In several ads, she said, "I am not a career politician. I am a pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment conservative Republican." 

Show sources

Sources: Henderson's 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed May 29, 2020, Facebook, "Beth Henderson," May 29, 2020, YouTube, "Better Days," May 5, 2020, Facebook, "Supporting President Trump!" May 2, 2020; Indiana Business Journal, "Beth Henderson," May 1, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.

Matthew Hullinger

Image of Matthew Hullinger

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Matt was born the second of three children in Fort Wayne, Indiana and lived out in the country near Auburn, Indiana until he was 18. At 18, his family moved to Carmel, Indiana due to a career opportunity for his father. He graduated from Westfield high school in 2008. He has a love for American History and will spend some of his spare time watching documentaries and reading articles about history."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

I am pro 2nd Amendment and will not vote in favor of any gun control bill.

I am pro life and will fight against abortion laws

I will vote in favor of extending the 2017 tax cuts.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.

Mark Small

Image of Mark Small

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I am a pro-choice pro-environment anti-war candidate in the Republican Party. We need to take the GOP back from forces of ignorance and hatred."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Roe v Wade was sritten by a GOP nominated Justice

Legalize all drugs

The USA should declare war before we commit military, absent surprise attack by another nation

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.

Victoria Spartz

Image of Victoria Spartz

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

  • Indiana State Senate (Assumed office: 2017)

Biography:  Spartz received a BA and MBA in international economics from the National University of Economics in Ukraine, and a Master of Professional Accountancy from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. She worked as a CPA, as CFO at the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, and as a business owner.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Spartz said her experience growing up in socialist Ukraine informed her conservative values, which she described as limited government and belief in the free market.

Spartz said she was not a career politician and had challenged the political establishment as an Indiana state senator.

Spartz said her professional work as a CPA and business owner provided her with the experience to, if elected, pass legislation that would strengthen the economy.

Show sources

Sources: Youtube, "Bold Thinking 30 TV," August 27, 2020; Victoria Spartz's 2020 campaign website, "Victoria Spartz: Republican for Congress," accessed September 7, 2020; Victoria Spartz's 2020 campaign website, "About Victoria," accessed September 7, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.

Russell Stwalley

Image of Russell Stwalley

WebsiteFacebook

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I grew up on a family farm in central Indiana. I love history and reading about the founders and what made them do what they did has inspired me my entire life. We are nothing if we are not free. And we aren't. Our government has been corrupted by money and ideology that would have made our founders gag. Most of our problems can be fixed if we look back to the founders and follow their path. This will not be easy. The things that matter never are. After I graduated from college I bought some hiking gear and walked from Indiana to Florida. This was not easy and I could have given up at any point. But I didn't. The drive and determination it took to achieve that goal have been with me always. My life has not been about achieving financial success, fame and glory or anything like that at all. My life has been about understanding who I am and my place in the world. The first time I ran for Congress, in 1996, to replace John T. Myers, America was not quite ready for me. I finished 13th out of 14. But I had the campaign experience under my belt. This time around there is a new format involved. It's called "The Internet." I pretty much despise technology but I'll be doing my best to get my message out through various electronic means."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Put up or shut up.

Keep your story straight by sticking to the truth.

If you can't do the first two there are consequences.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.

Victor Wakley

Image of Victor Wakley

WebsiteTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "When my nephew returned from Iraq, he locked himself in my sister's house for 7 months. I helped my nephew find a job working with other veterans, which literally saved his life! I realized that the BEST way to SUPPORT OUR TROOPS was to make sure they had a career to come home to! My wife and I cleaned out our pension, and started a not-for-profit called Save Our Veterans. One of the first projects I was honored to participate in was a program in conjunction with The Homeless Initiative Program under Wishard Hospital Indiana University, retraining 50 homeless veterans. "

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

I am an advocate to those responsible for our Freedom: Veterans

Life-long Republican who has worked on campaigns for: Richard Lugar, Mitch Daniels and Donald Trump. NO FOREIGN INTERFERENCE!

Pro-life: Helping protect those that cannot protect themselves.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Indiana District 5 in 2020.


Candidate Conversations

Click below to watch the conversation for this race.

Endorsements

This section lists endorsements issued in this election. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Republican primary endorsements
Endorsement Abernathy Bales Beckwith Brizzi Davidson Dietzen Henderson Hook Hullinger Mitchell Niederberger Small Spartz Stwalley Wakley
Elected officials
U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.)[6] ✔
Individuals
Former 5th District U.S. Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.)[7] ✔
University of Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz[8] ✔
Former Dept. of Revenue Commissioner Adam Krupp (R)[9] ✔
Former 3rd District U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.)[10] ✔
Organizations
Club for Growth PAC[4] ✔
Indiana Right to Life PAC[11] ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
National Rifle Association[4] ✔

Timeline

2020

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Kent Abernathy


Andrew Bales

"Sitting Democrats Don't Support 2A Rights" - Bales campaign ad, released February 6, 2020


Carl Brizzi

"Vote Brizzi 5th District Indiana" - Brizzi campaign ad, released April 24, 2020


Micah Beckwith

"Torch" - Beckwith campaign ad, released April 29, 2020


A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.[13]


Chuck Dietzen

"Ag Economy" - Dietzen campaign ad, released May 22, 2020[19]
"A Blueprint for America's Future Good Health" - Dietzen campaign ad, released April 29, 2020
"Healthy Workforce, Healthy Economy" - Dietzen campaign ad, released February 18, 2020
"Pro-Life" - Dietzen campaign ad, released January 22, 2020


Beth Henderson

Supporting Henderson

"Better Days" - Henderson campaign ad, released May 5, 2020
"Making The Change in Congress" - Henderson campaign ad, released March 19, 2020
"Caring for Indiana" - Henderson campaign ad, released January 9, 2020
"Beth's Thanksgiving Video" - Henderson campaign ad, released November 25, 2019

Opposing Spartz

"The Truth" - Henderson campaign ad, released May 26, 2020[15]

Kelly Mitchell

Supporting Mitchell

A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.


Victoria Spartz

"Senators" - Spartz campaign ad, released May 28, 2020[14]
"American Dream" - Spartz campaign ad, released May 22, 2020[16]
"Relentless" - Spartz campaign ad, released May 22, 2020[17]
"Stop Socialism" - Spartz campaign ad, released May 22, 2020[18]

A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.


Satellite group ads

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[23] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[24] The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Kent Abernathy Republican Party $125,323 $125,323 $0 As of July 15, 2020
Andrew Bales Republican Party $14,897 $10,471 $3,870 As of March 31, 2020
Micah Beckwith Republican Party $153,291 $146,456 $6,834 As of December 31, 2020
Carl Brizzi Republican Party $188,974 $188,974 $0 As of December 31, 2020
Allen Davidson Republican Party $4,162 $4,162 $0 As of June 30, 2020
Chuck Dietzen Republican Party $314,901 $313,021 $1,880 As of June 8, 2020
Beth Henderson Republican Party $473,249 $473,249 $-3,921 As of December 31, 2020
Matthew Hook Republican Party $47,272 $47,272 $0 As of July 2, 2020
Matthew Hullinger Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Kelly Mitchell Republican Party $352,242 $352,242 $0 As of September 30, 2020
Danny Niederberger Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Mark Small Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Victoria Spartz Republican Party $3,270,606 $3,161,482 $109,124 As of December 31, 2020
Russell Stwalley Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Victor Wakley Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.


Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[25][26][27]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

The information below was compiled from FEC reports as of May 30, 2020:[28]

  • Club for Growth Action spent $510,127 opposing Brizzi and Henderson.
    • Brizzi: the group spent $452,379 opposing Brizzi in the form of direct mail and digital, radio, television ads. The largest expenditure was a $240,200 expenditure made on May 6 to advertise television ads opposing Brizzi. The group made three separate expenditures of $30,177 between May 19 and 22 on postage for mail opposing Brizzi.[28]
    • Henderson: the group spent $57,758.58 on digital ads opposing Henderson.[28]
  • Hoosier Heartland Fund spent $43,700 supporting Beckwith with radio and digital advertisements.[28]

Debates and forums

May 11 town halls

On May 11, 2020, 14 candidates participated in a two-part town hall hosted by WFYI Productions and Indiana Town Halls. Candidates were divided into two groups. The first session featured Abernathy, Bales, Beckwith, Brizzi, Davidson, Dietzen, and Henderson. The second session featured Hook, Hullinger, Mitchell, Niederberger, Small, Spartz, and Stwalley.

Session 1 official recording, May 11, 2020, town hall - WFYI Productions
Session 2 official recording, May 11, 2020, town hall - WFYI Productions

Click the links below for summaries of the debate from:

Primaries in Indiana

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Indiana utilizes an open primary system. Voters are not required to register with a party, but state statutes stipulate that citizens vote in the primary of the party they have voted for most often in the past.[29]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

What's at stake in the general election?

U.S. House elections were held on November 3, 2020, and coincided with the 2020 presidential election. All 435 House districts were up for election, and the results determined control of the U.S. House in the 117th Congress.

At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232-197 advantage over Republicans. There was one Libertarian member, and there were five vacancies. Republicans needed to gain a net 21 seats to win control of the House. Democrats needed to gain seats or lose fewer than 14 net seats to keep their majority.

In the 2018 midterm election, Democrats had a net gain of 40 seats, winning a 235-200 majority in the House. Heading into the 2018 election, Republicans had a 235-193 majority with seven vacancies.

In the 25 previous House elections that coincided with a presidential election, the president's party had gained House seats in 16 elections and lost seats in nine. In years where the president's party won districts, the average gain was 18. In years where the president's party lost districts, the average loss was 27. Click here for more information on presidential partisanship and down-ballot outcomes.


General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[30]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[31][32][33]

Race ratings: Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesTilt DemocraticToss-upToss-upToss-up
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean DemocraticToss-upToss-upToss-up
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+9, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 9 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Indiana's 5th Congressional District the 149th most Republican nationally.[34]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.88. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.88 points toward that party.[35]

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Five of 92 Indiana counties—5 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Delaware County, Indiana 13.43% 3.12% 14.98%
LaPorte County, Indiana 6.33% 12.57% 22.04%
Perry County, Indiana 18.55% 11.59% 22.84%
Porter County, Indiana 6.59% 3.90% 7.20%
Vigo County, Indiana 14.97% 0.86% 15.83%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Indiana with 56.9 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 37.8 percent. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) was Trump's running mate. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Indiana voted Republican 83.33 percent of the time and Democratic 16.67 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Indiana voted Republican four times and Democratic once when it voted for Barack Obama in 2008.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Indiana. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[36][37]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 28 out of 100 state House districts in Indiana with an average margin of victory of 32.8 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 25 out of 100 state House districts in Indiana with an average margin of victory of 32.9 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 72 out of 100 state House districts in Indiana with an average margin of victory of 25.3 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 75 out of 100 state House districts in Indiana with an average margin of victory of 34.3 points. Trump won six districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


District election history

2018

See also: Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 5

Incumbent Susan Brooks defeated Dee Thornton in the general election for U.S. House Indiana District 5 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Susan Brooks
Susan Brooks (R)
 
56.8
 
180,035
Image of Dee Thornton
Dee Thornton (D)
 
43.2
 
137,142

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 317,177
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5

Dee Thornton defeated Kyle Brenden Moore, Dion Douglas, Eshel Faraggi, and Sean Dugdale in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dee Thornton
Dee Thornton
 
53.0
 
18,073
Image of Kyle Brenden Moore
Kyle Brenden Moore
 
23.7
 
8,077
Image of Dion Douglas
Dion Douglas
 
10.3
 
3,521
Image of Eshel Faraggi
Eshel Faraggi
 
7.6
 
2,583
Image of Sean Dugdale
Sean Dugdale
 
5.5
 
1,860

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 34,114
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5

Incumbent Susan Brooks advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Susan Brooks
Susan Brooks
 
100.0
 
63,904

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 63,904
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2016

See also: Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Susan Brooks (R) defeated Angela Demaree (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Brooks withdrew from the race on July 15, 2016, in order to run for governor of Indiana following a ballot vacancy. Brooks was not chosen to fill that vacancy, prompting her to once again seek re-election to her House seat. Republican committee members decided on August 13 to reinstate Brooks on the ballot.[38] Brooks defeated Mike Campbell and Stephen MacKenzie in the Republican primary, while Demaree defeated Allen Davidson to win the Democratic nomination. The primary elections took place on May 3, 2016.[39][40][41]

U.S. House, Indiana District 5 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngSusan Brooks Incumbent 61.5% 221,957
     Democratic Angela Demaree 34.3% 123,849
     Libertarian Matthew Wittlief 4.2% 15,329
Total Votes 361,135
Source: Indiana Division of Elections


U.S. House, Indiana District 5 Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngSusan Brooks Incumbent 69.5% 95,209
Stephen MacKenzie 15.7% 21,575
Mike Campbell 14.7% 20,202
Total Votes 136,986
Source: Indiana Secretary of State
U.S. House, Indiana District 5 Democratic Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngAngela Demaree 74.9% 52,530
Allen Davidson 25.1% 17,587
Total Votes 70,117
Source: Indiana Secretary of State

2014

See also: Indiana's 5th Congressional District elections, 2014

The 5th Congressional District of Indiana held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Susan Brooks (R) defeated Shawn Denney (D) and John Krom (L) in the general election.

U.S. House, Indiana District 5 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngSusan Brooks Incumbent 65.2% 105,277
     Democratic Shawn Denney 30.8% 49,756
     Libertarian John Krom 4% 6,407
Total Votes 161,440
Source: Indiana Secretary of State Official Results

State profile

See also: Indiana and Indiana elections, 2020
USA Indiana location map.svg

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of May 27, 2020

Presidential voting pattern

  • Indiana voted Republican in six out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

Indiana Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas  •  Seventeen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D R R D D D D D D D D R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Indiana quick stats
More Indiana coverage on Ballotpedia:


Demographic data for Indiana
 IndianaU.S.
Total population:6,612,768316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):35,8263,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:84.2%73.6%
Black/African American:9.2%12.6%
Asian:1.9%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:6.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:87.8%86.7%
College graduation rate:24.1%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$49,255$53,889
Persons below poverty level:18.4%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Indiana.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2016, 2012, and 2008," accessed May 30, 2020
  2. ↑ Twitter, "J. Miles Coleman," June 16, 2019
  3. ↑ Herald Bulletin, "Voters to determine two open congressional seats," May 29, 2020
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Spartz's 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed May 27, 2020
  5. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  6. ↑ Henderson's 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed May 27, 2020
  7. ↑ The Times, "Congressman Dan Burton Endorses Beth Henderson," April 30, 2020
  8. ↑ The Times, "Coach Lou Holtz endorses Victoria Spartz for Congress," May 21, 2020
  9. ↑ Mailchimp, "Adam Krupp endorses Abernathy for U.S. Congress," accessed May 27, 2020
  10. ↑ Beckwith's 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed May 30, 2020
  11. ↑ Indiana Right to Life PAC website, "IRTL-PAC endorses multiple candidates in GOP primary for Fifth Congressional District," April 21, 2020
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Soundcloud, "Radio Ad - Kent Abernathy for Congress," May 28, 2020
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Facebook, "Micah Beckwith for Congress," May 28, 2020
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 YouTube, "The Truth," May 28, 2020
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 YouTube, "The Truth," May 26, 2020
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 YouTube, "American Dream," May 22, 2020
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 YouTube, "Relentless," May 22, 2020
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 YouTube, "Stop Socialism," May 22, 2020
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 YouTube, "Ag Economy," May 22, 2020
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 YouTube, "IRS," May 19, 2020
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 YouTube, "Orange Man," May 19, 2020
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 YouTube, "Take Her Word," May 19, 2020
  23. ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
  24. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
  25. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  26. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  27. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 Federal Election Commission, "Independent expenditures," accessed May 30, 2020
  29. ↑ Indiana General Assembly, "Indiana Code § 3-10-1-6," accessed August 2, 2024
  30. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  31. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  32. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  33. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  34. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  35. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  36. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  37. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  38. ↑ KLTV, "The Latest: Pence praises GOP replacement choice," July 26, 2016
  39. ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "May 3, 2016 Primary Election," accessed February 8, 2016
  40. ↑ The New York Times, "Indiana Primary Results," May 3, 2016
  41. ↑ WBAA, "Brooks, Rokita Back On Congressional Ballots Following Weekend Caucuses," August 14, 2016


Indiana's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Jim Banks (R)
Todd Young (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
Jim Baird (R)
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
Republican Party (9)
Democratic Party (2)


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