Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2026 (May 5 Democratic primary)

← 2024
Indiana's 5th Congressional District
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: February 6, 2026
Primary: May 5, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Voting in Indiana
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
Indiana's 5th Congressional District 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th Indiana elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House raceArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House raceFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House raceOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House raceTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House raceVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House raceSubmit

A Democratic Party primary takes place on May 5, 2026, in Indiana's 5th Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.

Candidate filing deadline	Primary election	General election
February 6, 2026	May 5, 2026	November 3, 2026

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 law requires a closed primary, where a voter must be affiliated with a party to vote in that party's primary. This includes if they voted for a majority of that party’s candidates in the last general election or plan to in the upcoming election. However, it is possible for any voter to vote in any party's primary so long as they meet this criteria.

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

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

• Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2026 (May 5 Republican primary)
• Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2026

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

• Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
• Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
  

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5

Samuel Cooper (D), J.D. Ford (D), Jackson Franklin (D), Deborah A. Pickett (D), and Todd Shelton (D) are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5 on May 5, 2026.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Samuel Cooper
		J.D. Ford
		Jackson Franklin
		Deborah A. Pickett
		Todd Shelton

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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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Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

J.D. Ford

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "J.D. Ford is an experienced two-term IN State Senator and candidate for Congress in IN’s 5th Congressional District, bringing a working-class perspective to Washington. J.D. Ford entered the Indiana Statehouse in 2018 as a rare kind of public servant–one determined to do more than cast votes, but to show up, listen, and deliver for his constituents. As a legislator who isn’t independently wealthy, J.D. knows firsthand what Hoosiers face every day: rising healthcare costs, higher grocery bills, and policies too often written for the wealthy instead of working families. He flipped a long-held red district—Indiana Senate District 29—by outworking and doing his best to connect with voters. They chose a leader focused on service, not status—someone willing to fight to lower the cost of lifesaving medication, strengthen public education, and ensure every Hoosier gets a fair shot. J.D. learned the value of hard work from his parents – his father was a union truck driver and his mother an assisted living administrator. From his grandparents, who served their community as local officials, he learned early that public service is about people, not power. Those values guide him through his nonprofit career and his work in the Senate. J.D. is the first, and so far only, openly LGBTQ+ member of the IN General Assembly. He lives with his dog, Stella, and his cat, Sir Aaron Purr. Outside the legislature, he enjoys sports, reading, and spending time with family and friends."

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Key Messages

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

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AFFORDABILITY - Whether you're in Carmel or Kokomo, you feel the squeeze at the checkout line and in your monthly bills because a few giant corporations value record profits over your budget. We have a monopoly problem, and I’m going to tackle it by restoring competition to the market. I’ll work to block anti-competitive hospital and insurance mergers, block grocery mega-mergers that kill local choice, and ensure our utility bills don't skyrocket just to subsidize energy-hungry data centers for massive corporations. An economy that only works for those at the top is a rigged economy, and you deserve a representative who fights to put that power back into your hands.

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CARE - Whether you’re looking for a good daycare or a quality senior living facility, the weight of providing care shouldn't break your spirit or your budget. Let's expand the child and dependent care tax credit, establish national minimum staffing standards for nursing homes to ensure safety, and lower healthcare premiums by stopping anti-competitive hospital mergers. We must treat these services as essential infrastructure by investing in the people who provide care and capping the costs for the families who need it. No one should have to choose between a paycheck and a loved one’s well-being. Hoosiers look out for one another, and we need a government that does too.

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HOOSIER VOICES - D.C. feels like a closed room where decisions are made about us, but never with us. But, you are the expert on what our community needs, which is why I’m bringing Hoosier Voices directly to the halls of Congress. I’ll maintain the same open-door policy I had in the Statehouse, hosting regular town halls, being the most accessible representative you've ever met, and ensuring our federal policy is driven by your lived experiences rather than special interest demands. I’m not asking for your vote just to go to D.C.; I’m asking to bring you with me. You deserve a government that actually listens, and together, we’re going to make sure the 5th District is never left out of the conversation again. Reach out with your concerns.

Jackson Franklin

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Hello everyone, I am Jackson Franklin. I am a Muncie resident and currently serving as a Staff Sergeant in the Indiana Army National Guard, along with my two triplet brothers. I’ve been serving as a combat medic since 2019 and deployed to Kosovo in 2023. I am grateful to the Army for sending me to paramedic school, where I became a nationally registered paramedic. I have worked on a congressional campaign for this district in 2022 as a policy advisor and volunteered in a handful of races in and around Muncie. I have been greatly inspired by the likes of Bernie Sanders and others in the progressive movement to champion policies that prioritize fairness, equality, and opportunity for all. I believe in fighting for healthcare as a human right, investing in education, fighting against corruption, standing up for the working class, and ensuring that every voice is heard. That is why I have pledged never to take any corporate money and will fight the political establishment to end corruption in this country. This campaign is committed to real change that benefits all of us, not just the wealthy. That's why our campaign slogan is "People Over Profits!" I am not running for Congress to climb some political ladder; I am running because working people in this district are getting left behind by a system and a representative that prioritizes the wants of the very wealthy over the needs of the rest of us. For too long, the working class has been ignored; this campaign will change that"

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Key Messages

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

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This campaign is dedicated to standing up for the working class of this district and will bring the people's voice to Congress, not more corporate donors. Corporate lobbyists and other special interest groups have a stranglehold on our democracy, as they influence our politicians to serve their interests instead of the voters they swore to serve in the first place. This campaign is proud to say that we are a grassroots campaign, meaning we will never accept any corporate lobby money and will focus on what the working-class people of the 5th district want because that is what our republic is supposed to be about in the first place. We will fight to overturn Citizens United, ban corporate lobbying, and move to public funding of elections.

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Our healthcare system is fundamentally broken. More than 70,000 Americans die every year due to a lack of healthcare, more than 30 million Americans still don’t have health insurance, and even more are underinsured. That is why this campaign is calling for our country to catch up to the rest of the developed world and guarantee healthcare for all to everyone across the country, and is why we proudly advocates for Medicare for all. Even for those with insurance, costs are so high that medical bills are the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States. As a paramedic, I have witnessed many people turn away from life-saving care because they did not want to undergo the high cost of our healthcare system. This is unacceptable.

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Standing up for human rights and accountability. Currently, we are witnessing an administration that is fighting to roll back many of the basic human and constitutional rights that people across this country have fought and died for. Once in Congress, I will continue to fight to uphold the Constitution and hold our leaders who have broken the law accountable, and fight to protect and expand women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and other human rights. We must fight to uphold the rule of law and hold those accountable who have broken it, no matter what their position is, especially the President of the United States. We need to unapologetically fight for education, housing, healthcare, living wages, and much more, all as the human rights they are.

Todd Shelton

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Todd Shelton is a working-class Hoosier who has spent years on the factory floor and served as a UAW Union official. A U.S. Army Veteran, Todd served his country honorably and is now a disabled veteran. He is an entrepreneur and small business owner, operating since 2018. Currently, Todd is a Senior Lecturer at Indiana University Indianapolis, a position he has held for over a decade. He is involved in his community through technology education initiatives and youth sports."

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Key Messages

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

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Shelton has a background in manufacturing and organized labor, including service as a UAW union official. His experience includes work on the factory floor and involvement in workforce development and vocational education.

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Shelton is a U.S. Army veteran and a disabled veteran. His experiences have shaped his perspective on healthcare access, veterans’ services, and support systems for seniors and working families.

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Shelton is a senior lecturer in higher education and a small business owner. He has been involved in community technology education initiatives and youth sports and has worked to support local economic development.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Indiana

Election information in Indiana: May 5, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: April 6, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by April 6, 2026
• Online: April 6, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

No

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: April 23, 2026
• By mail: Received by April 23, 2026
• Online: April 23, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: May 5, 2026
• By mail: Received by May 5, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

April 7, 2026 to May 4, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (ET/CT)

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Samuel Cooper	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
J.D. Ford	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Jackson Franklin	Democratic Party	$32,738	$22,340	$10,398	As of December 31, 2025
Deborah A. Pickett	Democratic Party	$8,925	$11,677	$1,517	As of December 31, 2025
Todd Shelton	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. 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.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

• District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
• Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
• State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.

• District map
• Competitiveness
• Presidential elections
• State party control

Below is the district map in place for this election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026

Information about competitiveness will be added here as it becomes available.

Partisan Voter Index

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

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+8. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 8 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Indiana's 5th the 148th most Republican district nationally.

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in Indiana's 5th Congressional District

Kamala Harris	Donald Trump
41.0%	57.0%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in Indiana, 2024

Indiana presidential election results (1900-2024)

• 5 Democratic wins
• 27 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020	2024
Winning Party	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R

See also: Party control of Indiana state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Indiana's congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Indiana
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	2	2
Republican	2	7	9
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	9	11

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Indiana's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Indiana, October 2025

Office	Officeholder
Governor	Mike Braun
Lieutenant Governor	Micah Beckwith
Secretary of State	Diego Morales
Attorney General	Todd Rokita

State legislature

Indiana State Senate

Party		As of January 2026
	Democratic Party	10
	Republican Party	39
	Other	0
	Vacancies	1
Total		50

Indiana House of Representatives

Party		As of January 2026
	Democratic Party	30
	Republican Party	70
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		100

Trifecta control

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

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Indiana in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Indiana, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Indiana	U.S. House	Ballot-qualified party	N/A (only declaration of candidacy required)	N/A	2/6/2026	Source
Indiana	U.S. House	Unaffiliated	2% of total votes cast for the secretary of state in the district in the last election	N/A	7/15/2026	Source

See also

• Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2026 (May 5 Republican primary)
• Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2026
• United States House elections in Indiana, 2026 (May 5 Democratic primaries)
• United States House elections in Indiana, 2026 (May 5 Republican primaries)
• United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
• United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2026
• U.S. House battlegrounds, 2026

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[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)

2025-2026 Elections to the United States Congress

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House by State

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Election information

Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • List of candidates running for election • List of congressional challengers • Retiring senators • Retiring representatives

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Super PACs/Organizations

American Bridge 21st Century • American Crossroads • American Unity PAC • Campaign for Primary Accountability • Club for Growth Action • Congressional Leadership Fund • Cooperative of American Physicians IE Committee• Crossroads Generation • Ending Spending Action Fund • Endorse Liberty • Fair Share Action • FreedomWorks for America • Government Integrity Fund • House Majority PAC • Independence USA Fund • League of Conservation Voters • Liberty for All PAC • Majority PAC • National Association of Realtors • NEA Advocacy Fund • Now or Never PAC • Planned Parenthood Votes • Ready for Hillary • Republicans for a Prosperous America • Restore America's Voice PAC • SEIU Pea-Federal • Women Vote!

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