Kelly Thompson (Indiana)
Kelly Thompson (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Indiana's 3rd Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on May 5, 2026.[source]
Thompson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Kelly Thompson was born in Palo Alto, California. She earned a high school diploma from Tippecanoe Valley High School and a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida in 1989. Her career experience includes working as a business owner. Thompson has been affiliated with the following organizations: Planned Parenthood, ACLU, the Working Families Party, and the Indiana Democratic African American Caucus.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Indiana's 3rd Congressional District election, 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.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 3
Phil Goss and Kelly Thompson are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 3 on May 5, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Phil Goss | ||
Kelly Thompson ![]() | ||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 3
Incumbent Marlin A. Stutzman is running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 3 on May 5, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Marlin A. Stutzman | ||
= 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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Endorsements
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2020
See also: Indiana House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Indiana House of Representatives District 22
Incumbent Curt Nisly defeated Kelly Thompson in the general election for Indiana House of Representatives District 22 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Curt Nisly (R) | 72.1 | 20,694 | |
Kelly Thompson (D) ![]() | 27.9 | 8,003 | ||
| Total votes: 28,697 | ||||
= 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 22
Kelly Thompson advanced from the Democratic primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 22 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kelly Thompson ![]() | 100.0 | 1,598 | |
| Total votes: 1,598 | ||||
= 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 House of Representatives District 22
Incumbent Curt Nisly defeated Bill Dixon in the Republican primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 22 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Curt Nisly | 59.2 | 4,716 | |
| Bill Dixon | 40.8 | 3,256 | ||
| Total votes: 7,972 | ||||
= 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
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kelly Thompson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Thompson's responses.
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- A government of the people, by the people and for the people is still a goal in this country. Working families are struggling to put a roof over their head, food on the table, access medical care, and get a good education. The reason we are all struggling is because for far too long the people in power have not felt our pain. Because of this they both blame us for our struggles and shame us when we bravely ask for our tax dollars to actually work for US. Let's elect people who are both committed to fight for all of us and brave enough to hold the line when pressure to cave to corporate and political influence inevitably comes.
- As a woman with a business degree and a small business owner I see the defunding and attack on public education as not just insulting and cruel, but unsustainable. A strong and well funded public education system is necessary to compete and survive in a global economy. Not only do we owe it to our kids but we as a country benefit from high quality education. It is a matter of fiscal responsibility and national security. But we can't stop there. We have real needs as a country for skilled and educated labor. To not help our people meet those needs is short sighted and dangerous.
- We have a uniquely American problem with access to healthcare. The number one reason for bankruptcy in this country is medical debt. On average we pay 12% of our income on medical expenses. We can reduce that to 5% by moving to a single payor system. As a mother, I know the fear of having to make a run to the ER not knowing, even WITH insurance, what my bill will be. As a daughter, I have experienced the frustration of my mother's insurance company making health care decisions, overriding her oncologist, as she is battling breast cancer. Inefficient private insurance companies are taking our premiums, refusing treatment, and cashing bonus checks . It's time to provide heath care to everyone regardless of our net worth.
But I am sad to admit that our very democracy is in danger. We have an unchecked, reckless executive branch. The damage it has done will have to be repaired, rebuilt, redesigned. This will take courage, curiosity, and an ability to collaborate to build back better.
But we are facing more than bad policies and systems. At that same fair, standing in the same line, I met a man who asked me for my opinion on the "Israel Gaza situation." I explained that it is never ok to bomb starving children while they are waiting in line for food. He agreed with me. Then told me he could never vote for me because I was running as a democrat. I asked why?
He said, "because of the gays."
After more discussion I realized we weren't going to agree on much else, so I said in closing, "Well at least we agree genocide is bad."
He shook his head and emphatically replied, "Not all genocide."
I asked, "You think some genocide is good? Who do you think deserves to be killed"
This country is broken. We have had people in power who have not felt our pain. The systems will never be fixed by those people. This is to be a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Instead it has been of, by and for the corporations.
But I am most proud of the learning I have done to know that everyday is important. That success is a series of small decisions, and moments of courage. Together I have built a life of which I am proud and I believe leaves the world better than I found it. What else is there?
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
Kelly Thompson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Thompson's responses.
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My life as an employee taught me what it feels like to wait until Friday to be able to pay some of my bills. My life as an employer has taught me what it feels like to hope we have the money on Friday to cover our employees' paychecks. My life as a mother has taught me how to work hard, be brave, and keep going even when the task before me seems too big.
I have spent the last decade volunteering to help local teens navigate the sometimes treacherous transition into adulthood. That service has taken me from their living rooms and ball games, and even to a couple jail cells. Walking with kids and trying to make a positive difference has also brought me into relationship with their families. It was in this work I got to learn what all of my neighbors were really facing each day. These struggles were not something I could ignore.
So now I am taking all I have learned, and all my passion, energy, and determination to make legislative and budgetary changes in Indy on behalf of Hoosier families and businesses.- I have a business degree and understand how to make our money work in our best interest. Housing, schools, childcare - we must do better.
- Creating a non-profit to help struggling families in our community has proven both my heart and my determination to put action where my mouth is.
- I am not looking for a political career. I am answerable to God and the people of District 22. Full stop, I cannot be bought.
We need to be open to the industries that are asking to come to Indiana. From green energy to legalized cannabis.
We in Indiana need good paying jobs. We need good schools to attract business. We need good teachers to have good schools. We need to listen to our teachers and find the money to pay teachers well to maintain those good schools. We need affordable housing to help those businesses attract employees and to keep those employees' dollars in this district. We need accessible and affordable quality childcare to enable those parents to work those jobs. We need to help women have easy access to birth control to cut down our unintended pregnancy rate.
How can we afford this? The new industries that want to come will bring sales, income, property and excise tax dollars into this state and the return on investment in education, quality childcare, and public health spending is high. We cannot afford not to do these things.
Teachers. Childcare. Housing. Livable wage. Access to birth control.
Second, elected officials must be courageous. It takes courage to try to do big things. It also takes courage to keep going. And again it takes courage to report back to the people about what has and has not worked, and why.
I have traveled the country for training in counseling and effective communication.
After that tour, I saw the flag differently. The institutions differently. Our political leaders differently.
Now, as an adult the other side of 50, I again see us differently
We have to take care of our kids. That is our biggest challenge.
But in order to do that, many moving parts will need to be addressed. Access to healthcare. Quality childcare. Schools. Mental health access. Housing. The environment. Pubic health spending. Internet access.
If we raise, educate, protect, and value our children we will not only save money down the road, but we will return to the compassionate Hoosier heart for which we were once known.
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.
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.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on December 3, 2025

