Kristi Risk
Kristi Risk (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Indiana's 8th Congressional District. She lost in the Republican primary on May 7, 2024.
Risk completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Risk was a 2012 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 8th Congressional District of Indiana. She lost in the Republican primary.[1]
Biography
Kristi Risk was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. She earned a bachelor's degree in Christian counseling from Cornerstone University. Her career experience includes owning a business.[2][3]
Elections
2024
See also: Indiana's 8th Congressional District election, 2024
Indiana's 8th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 7 Republican primary)
Indiana's 8th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 7 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Indiana District 8
Mark Messmer defeated Erik Hurt and K. Richard Fitzlaff in the general election for U.S. House Indiana District 8 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mark Messmer (R) | 68.0 | 219,941 |
 | Erik Hurt (D)  | 29.5 | 95,311 | |
 | K. Richard Fitzlaff (L) | 2.6 | 8,381 | |
| Total votes: 323,633 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 8
Erik Hurt defeated Edward Upton Sein, Michael Talarzyk, and Peter Priest II in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 8 on May 7, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Erik Hurt | 45.1 | 8,204 |
 | Edward Upton Sein | 22.5 | 4,087 | |
 | Michael Talarzyk | 20.9 | 3,796 | |
| Peter Priest II | 11.5 | 2,098 | ||
| Total votes: 18,185 | |||
| = 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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Kellie Moore (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 8
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 8 on May 7, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Messmer | 38.5 | 30,668 |
 | John N. Hostettler | 19.7 | 15,649 | |
 | Richard Moss | 14.1 | 11,227 | |
 | Dominick Jack Kavanaugh | 11.8 | 9,397 | |
 | Kristi Risk | 9.2 | 7,350 | |
 | Luke Misner | 2.9 | 2,287 | |
 | Jim Case | 2.6 | 2,107 | |
 | Jeremy Heath | 1.2 | 944 | |
| Total votes: 79,629 | |||
| = 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
- Jon Schrock (R)
- Larry Bucshon (R)
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Risk in this election.
2012
Risk ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Indiana's 8th District. Risk lost to incumbent Larry Bucshon in the May 8, 2012, Republican primary.[1]
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
 Larry Bucshon Incumbent |
58% | 34,511 |
| Kristi Risk | 42% | 24,960 |
| Total Votes | 59,471 | |
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kristi Risk completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Risk's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- Building the Wall to Protect America The penetrable southern border poses grave dangers to our national security. With inadequate resources to control entry into the country, we risk exposing citizens to disease, drug cartels, and terrorism on our own soil. Meanwhile, special interest groups in Washington prioritize partisan agendas over public safety. If left unchecked, these threats will soon spread from the border to backyards nationwide. I have a solution, send our Navy's Seabees to get the job done stat. It will be efficient, effective, and done correctly!
- America First The slogan "America First" has varying meanings for different people. For Kristi, it signifies prioritizing the well-being of Americans over global interests. She believes the U.S. government's foremost responsibility is caring for its citizens, from rural communities to major cities across the country. Kristi feels that all Americans deserve protection, security, and the ability to pursue life, liberty, and happiness in a nation governed by the rule of law.
- Economic Reform (Inflation Costs) The key indicators of a weak economy that people can readily see include: • stagnant wages despite rising corporate profits • increasing personal debt as people struggle to get by • declining employment rates • job creation lagging behind population growth • a rise in poverty (exacerbated by increased immigration) • rising healthcare costs plus reduced employer-provided insurance eroding already strained family incomes As the political parties argue and blame one another, Americans face diminishing freedom and opportunity - the American Dream once envied worldwide slips away. It is time for Congress to make difficult decisions for the public good to restore economic prosperity.
Small business owners are entrepreneurs who employ workers and strive to support their families. Kristi advocates for fostering a robust climate for entrepreneurship, seeking more constructive approaches to raising wages and fighting poverty while minimizing distortions and manipulations in the labor market.
ENERGY
The 60’s and 70’s were a turbulent time in American history, characterized by social unrest, economic challenges, and military conflicts that tested the nation's resolve. As activists pushed for an end to racial discrimination and segregation, the Vietnam War sparked massive anti-war protests as young people questioned the purpose and morality of the conflict. The economy also faced difficulties with periods of high inflation and unemployment. Amid this backdrop of upheaval and division, Ronald Reagan's radio addresses and speeches provided a voice of leadership to the American people.
When an individual decides to run for public office, it is no small commitment. Not only are they pledging their own time, energy, and reputation, but their entire family is swept up into the endeavor as well. The integrity of our elected officials matters a great deal, as the choices they make can impact millions of lives. If a candidate is willing to compromise their principles during the campaign by being unethical, what will stop them from doing so while in office? The lure of power and greed can corrupt even the most well-intentioned politicians over time. The future of our communities, states, and nation depends upon it. Public servants with integrity are more likely to place the interests of their constituents first and make decisions that benefit society as a whole. Compromised officials, on the other hand, can severely damage citizens' trust in government and even undermine the foundations of our democracy.
I believe the United States has about 20 years for corrective action after which no amount of future tax increases or spending cuts could avoid the government defaulting on its debt whether explicitly or implicitly. Statistics suggest that the U.S. debt held by the public cannot exceed about 200 percent of GDP even under today’s generally favorable market conditions, and we are already at 122%.
Armed Services, as a mother of 3 recent enlistees, and with a WWII father and multiple career military family members, the Armed Services is near and dear to my heart.
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.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Risk has been married to her husband, David, for nineteen years.[3] Together they have four children. They live in Spencer, Indiana, located in Owen County.[3]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
