Mike Sodrel

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Mike Sodrel

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 3, 2022

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Years of service

1966 - 1973

Personal

Birthplace

Indiana

Contact

Campaign website

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Mike Sodrel (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Indiana's 9th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on May 3, 2022.

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

Biography

Mike Sodrel was born in Indiana. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1973.

Elections

2022

See also: Indiana's 9th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 9

Erin Houchin defeated Matthew Fyfe, Tonya Millis, and Jacob Bailey in the general election for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Erin Houchin (R)	63.6	143,166
		Matthew Fyfe (D)	33.6	75,700
		Tonya Millis (L)	2.8	6,374
		Jacob Bailey (G) (Write-in)	0.0	36

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 225,276
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Aleem Young (Freedom Party)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9

Matthew Fyfe defeated Isak Nti Asare and D. Liam Dorris in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on May 3, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Matthew Fyfe	56.8	12,240
		Isak Nti Asare	29.2	6,305
		D. Liam Dorris	14.0	3,023

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 21,568
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Babak Rezaei (D)
• Jonathon Cole (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on May 3, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Erin Houchin	37.3	21,697
		Mike Sodrel	25.8	15,008
		Stu Barnes-Israel	21.0	12,193
	Submit photo	Jim Baker	5.1	2,946
		J. Michael Davisson	2.7	1,597
		D. Eric Schansberg	2.7	1,559
		Brian Tibbs	2.5	1,461
		Dan Heiwig	1.6	919
		Bill Thomas	1.3	756

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 58,136
= 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

• Hiren Patel (R)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Indiana District 9

Tonya Millis advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on March 5, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Tonya Millis (L)

---

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

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Mike Sodrel completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sodrel's 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.

Graduated New Albany High School. Attended Indiana University Southeast (no degree earned). Have been a Platoon Sergeant in a Mechanized Infantry Unit of the INARNG, a truck driver, motorcoach operator, mechanic, entrepreneur, business person, author, and former Member of Congress.

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?

• Secure the border. We need to know who you are, why you are coming, and what you are bringing with you.
• Restart the XL pipeline and streamline the drilling process to become energy independent once more.
• Control government spending, in concert with increasing energy supplies, to lower the inflation rate.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have spent my life in transportation, as did my Dad, and his Dad, and his Dad's Dad. So I certainly have more than a passing interest in all forms of transport policy. My family has lived along the Ohio River since immigrating here in the mid 19th century. As a veteran of the Indiana Army National Guard, I am interested in National Defense and Veterans Issues. I am an American Patriot and I believe in the US Constitution and our founding documents. I think there is a lot of misinformation and wrong information being offered up as American History today. Critical Race Theory (CRT) should not be a subject taught in our school system. It should be the function of the school (particularly K -12) to teach students to read, write, and do math and science. Social issues rightly belong in the home.

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

President George Washington. At the end of the Revolutionary War, King George was reputed to have said of him: "If he voluntarily gives up power, he is the greatest man in the world". Abraham Lincoln said: "Most men can stand adversity-- if you want to test their character, give them power". George Washington voluntarily gave up power. Once, at the end of the Revolutionary War, he presented his sword to Congress and went home to "sit under his fig and vine". He did so again at the end of his second term as President of the United States.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Herbert Spencer's The Man Versus the State. Everyone from Algernon Sydney to John Locke have had an impact.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty above all. Integrity of action and self and the positioning of a moral compass.

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

Only two things that a Member of Congress can do for their constituents: they can speak for them, and they can vote for them.

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

President John F. Kennedy assassination in Dallas Texas. I was 16 years old.

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

My first job was mowing lawns. My first job for a real paycheck was bagging groceries and stocking shelves in a grocery store.

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

It is the only Federal Office you MUST be elected in order to serve. One may be appointed to the US Senate. In fact we have had at least one President that was not elected to that office. Everyone who serves in the "Peoples'" House was elected.

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

Not necessarily; it depends on the circumstances and the current level of challenges that the government is facing.

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

To maintain individual Liberty and private property. The enemies of capitalism abound today and many are to be found in the halls of government.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, and Financial Services.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I believe in term limits and have signed two term limit pledges. I also believe there should be term limits for senior civil service employees.

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

Some things must be compromised. Everything cannot be compromised. Those that would never compromise and those who would always compromise should not be in office. One must have the judgement to make a distinction between the two.

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.

See also

2022 Elections

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Candidate

U.S. House Indiana District 9

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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)