United States Senate election in Indiana, 2024 (May 7 Democratic primary)

← 2022
U.S. Senate, Indiana
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: February 9, 2024
Primary: May 7, 2024 General: November 5, 2024 Pre-election incumbent: Mike Braun (Republican)
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: Safe Republican 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, 2024
See also
U.S. Senate, Indiana U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th Indiana elections, 2024 U.S. Congress elections, 2024 U.S. Senate elections, 2024 U.S. House elections, 2024 Arizona U.S. Senate raceCalifornia U.S. Senate raceConnecticut U.S. Senate raceDelaware U.S. Senate raceFlorida U.S. Senate raceHawaii U.S. Senate raceIndiana U.S. Senate raceMaine U.S. Senate raceMaryland U.S. Senate raceMassachusetts U.S. Senate raceMichigan U.S. Senate raceMinnesota U.S. Senate raceMississippi U.S. Senate raceMissouri U.S. Senate raceMontana U.S. Senate raceNebraska U.S. Senate raceNevada U.S. Senate raceNew Jersey U.S. Senate raceNew Mexico U.S. Senate raceNew York U.S. Senate raceNorth Dakota U.S. Senate raceOhio U.S. Senate racePennsylvania U.S. Senate raceRhode Island U.S. Senate raceTennessee U.S. Senate raceTexas U.S. Senate raceUtah U.S. Senate raceVermont U.S. Senate raceVirginia U.S. Senate raceWashington U.S. Senate raceWest Virginia U.S. Senate raceWisconsin U.S. Senate raceWyoming U.S. Senate raceSubmit

A Democratic Party primary took place on May 7, 2024, in Indiana to determine which Democratic candidate would run in the state's general election on November 5, 2024.

Valerie McCray advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Indiana.

Thirty-four of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate were up for election in 2024, including one special election. At the time of the election, Democrats had a 51-49 majority. Of the seats up for election in 2024, Democrats held 19, Republicans held 11, and independents held four. As of May 2024, eight members of the U.S. Senate had announced they were not running for re-election.

Candidate filing deadline	Primary election	General election
February 9, 2024	May 7, 2024	November 5, 2024

Heading into the election, the incumbent was Mike Braun (Republican), who was first elected in 2018.

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.

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

This page focuses on Indiana's United States Senate Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the state's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

• United States Senate election in Indiana, 2024 (May 7 Republican primary)
• United States Senate election in Indiana, 2024

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Indiana

Valerie McCray defeated Marc Carmichael in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Indiana on May 7, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Valerie McCray	68.0	121,734
		Marc Carmichael	32.0	57,256

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 178,990
= 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

• Marshall Travis (D)
• Aleem Young (D)
• Keith Potts (D)
• RaeVen Ridgell (D)

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.

Marc Carmichael

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Retired Indiana statewide trade association executive. Former state legislator having defeated the Republican Speaker of the Indiana House 59-41%. Running in hopes of codifying Roe v Wade; getting military assault weapons off the streets; guaranteeing medical care to LGBTQ children via federal law; attacking climate change before it is too hot to live on Earth; confirm qualified, fair, and impartial judges; better protect teachers and librarians from being political pawns and being killed on the job; no more political tax cuts for the rich; lower drug costs and adequate medical care in the rural areas; properly taking care of our veterans, active personnel and their families; creating good paying jobs with benefits; and, reschedule marijuana from Schedule 1 to 3."

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Key Messages

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

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Codify Roe v Wade

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Keep military assault weapons in the hands of the military only.

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Give all our children access to the medical care they need and a climate they can live and thrive in.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Indiana in 2024.

Valerie McCray

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I am running for Senate because after 25 years as a psychologist, working with our military, working in prisons, working with our youth that are being traumatized by violence, I came to the hard realization that we can not fix these problems one mental health crisis at a time. We need a Psychologist in Congress that understands how U.S. policy profoundly effects the mental well-being of our people. We have to make mental health a priority"

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Key Messages

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

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The right of a woman to make autonomous decisions about her own body/reproductive functions is at the core of her basic human rights to equality, medical privacy, & bodily integrity. I will push for legislation that protects access nationally to abortion with FDA-approved medication/procedures & defend access to emergency medical care & everyday reproductive care. Affordable contraception to anyone who wants and needs it. Safeguard the privacy of patients/providers & ensure they have accurate information and legal resources necessary. For those choosing to grow their family, ensure they have adequate access to resources and for pay for quality of life.

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Equitable, quality healthcare SHOULD BE a fundamental right for all people; not a privilege for the wealthy few. Millions of Americans are one bad diagnosis away from going broke. It’s time for a system that is focused on patients, not profits. In Congress, I will be committed to finding constructive ways to improve our nation’s health care system, expand access to quality and affordable health care, and reduce costs for middle-class families no matter their income, race, gender, zip code, or medical diagnosis. I will make it a priority to end abusive pricing practices by the pharmaceutical industry and give patients a break at the pharmacy counter. I will support increases for health and science research

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Affordable housing is a right and a necessity and is significant in building the foundation for a better Indiana. Housing costs are significant factor contributing to homelessness, financial instability, housing insecurity, and extreme stress for many individuals and families. Everyone should have a safe, affordable place to sleep and raise their families. When I’m in Congress, I will focus on ways to ensure housing remains accessible and affordable for middle class families.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Indiana in 2024.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Indiana

Election information in Indiana: May 7, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: April 8, 2024
• By mail: Received by April 8, 2024
• Online: April 8, 2024

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

No

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

• In-person: April 25, 2024
• By mail: Received by April 25, 2024
• Online: April 25, 2024

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

• In-person: May 7, 2024
• By mail: Received by May 7, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

N/A

What were the early voting start and end dates?

April 9, 2024 to May 6, 2024

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

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (CST)

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Marc Carmichael	Democratic Party	$119,821	$102,015	$17,140	As of September 30, 2024
Valerie McCray	Democratic Party	$134,823	$126,565	$12,156	As of December 31, 2024
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2024. 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.

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Indiana in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Indiana, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2024
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Indiana	U.S. Senate	Democratic or Republican	4,500 (500 per congressional district)	N/A	2/6/2024	Source
Indiana	U.S. Senate	Unaffiliated	2% of all votes cast in the last election for secretary of state	N/A	7/1/2024	Source

Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
• Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
• State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
• Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.

• Presidential elections
• Statewide elections
• State partisanship
• Demographics

See also: Presidential voting trends in Indiana and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Indiana, 2024
District	Incumbent	Party	PVI
Indiana's 1st	Frank Mrvan	Democratic	D+3
Indiana's 2nd	Rudy Yakym	Republican	R+14
Indiana's 3rd	Jim Banks	Republican	R+18
Indiana's 4th	Jim Baird	Republican	R+18
Indiana's 5th	Victoria Spartz	Republican	R+11
Indiana's 6th	Greg Pence	Republican	R+19
Indiana's 7th	André Carson	Democratic	D+19
Indiana's 8th	Larry Bucshon	Republican	R+19
Indiana's 9th	Erin Houchin	Republican	R+16

2020 presidential results by 2024 congressional district lines

2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2024 district lines, Indiana
District	Joe Biden	Donald Trump
Indiana's 1st	53.4%	45.0%
Indiana's 2nd	37.8%	60.4%
Indiana's 3rd	34.0%	63.9%
Indiana's 4th	34.3%	63.4%
Indiana's 5th	41.0%	57.0%
Indiana's 6th	33.0%	64.9%
Indiana's 7th	70.3%	27.9%
Indiana's 8th	32.7%	65.5%
Indiana's 9th	35.4%	62.7%

2012-2020

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:

County-level voting pattern categories
Democratic
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Democratic	D	D	D
Trending Democratic	R	D	D
Battleground Democratic	D	R	D
New Democratic	R	R	D
Republican
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Republican	R	R	R
Trending Republican	D	R	R
Battleground Republican	R	D	R
New Republican	D	D	R

Following the 2020 presidential election, 61.7% of Hoosiers lived in one of the state's 82 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 27.8% lived in one of four Solid Democratic counties. Overall, Indiana was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Indiana following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Indiana county-level statistics, 2020
Solid Republican	82	61.7%
Solid Democratic	4	27.8%
Trending Republican	5	7.7%
New Democratic	1	2.7%
Total voted Democratic	5	30.6%
Total voted Republican	87	69.4%

Historical voting trends

Indiana presidential election results (1900-2020)

• 5 Democratic wins
• 26 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
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

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from Indiana

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Indiana.

U.S. Senate election results in Indiana
Race	Winner	Runner up
2022	58.6%	37.9%
2018	50.9%	45.0%
2016	52.1%	42.4%
2012	50.0%	44.2%
2010	54.6%	40.0%
Average	59.0	36.8

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of Indiana

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Indiana.

Gubernatorial election results in Indiana
Race	Winner	Runner up
2020	56.5%	32.0%
2016	51.4%	45.4%
2012	49.5%	46.6%
2008	57.8%	40.1%
2004	53.2%	45.5%
Average	53.7	41.9

See also: Party control of Indiana state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Indiana's congressional delegation as of May 2024.

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 May 2024.

State executive officials in Indiana, May 2024
Office	Officeholder
Governor	Eric Holcomb
Lieutenant Governor	Suzanne Crouch
Secretary of State	Diego Morales
Attorney General	Todd Rokita

State legislature

Indiana State Senate

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	10
	Republican Party	40
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		50

Indiana House of Representatives

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	30
	Republican Party	70
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		100

Trifecta control

The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.

Indiana Party Control: 1992-2024
No Democratic trifectas  •  Sixteen 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
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
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
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

The table below details demographic data in Indiana and compares it to the broader United States as of 2022.

Demographic Data for Indiana
	Indiana	United States
Population	6,785,528	331,449,281
Land area (sq mi)	35,824	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White	80%	65.9%
Black/African American	9.4%	12.5%
Asian	2.5%	5.8%
Native American	0.2%	0.8%
Pacific Islander	0%	0.2%
Other (single race)	2.8%	6%
Multiple	5.1%	8.8%
Hispanic/Latino	7.5%	18.7%
Education
High school graduation rate	90%	89.1%
College graduation rate	28.2%	34.3%
Income
Median household income	$67,173	$75,149
Persons below poverty level	8.5%	8.8%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022).
**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

• United States Senate election in Indiana, 2024 (May 7 Republican primary)
• United States Senate election in Indiana, 2024
• United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
• United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
• United States Senate elections, 2024
• U.S. Senate battlegrounds, 2024

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)

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