Russell Brooksbank

Russell Brooksbank (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Indiana's 9th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Brooksbank completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Russell Brooksbank was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Brooksbank's career experience includes working as a driver. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1988 to 1996. Brooksbank has been affiliated with Teamsters and the Pro Life Libertarian Caucus.^[1]

Elections

2024

Indiana's 9th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 7 Republican primary)

Indiana's 9th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 7 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 9

Incumbent Erin Houchin defeated Timothy Peck and Russell Brooksbank in the general election for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Erin Houchin (R)	64.5	222,884
	Timothy Peck (D)	32.8	113,400
	Russell Brooksbank (L)	2.7	9,454

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 345,738
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9

Timothy Peck defeated D. Liam Dorris in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on May 7, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Timothy Peck	66.1	14,606
	D. Liam Dorris	33.9	7,493

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 22,099
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Aaron Cole (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9

Incumbent Erin Houchin defeated Hugh Doty in the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on May 7, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Erin Houchin	79.8	55,278
	Hugh Doty	20.2	13,983

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 69,261
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Brooksbank in this election.

2020

General election

General election for Indiana House of Representatives District 71

Incumbent Rita Fleming defeated Russell Brooksbank in the general election for Indiana House of Representatives District 71 on November 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Rita Fleming (D)	77.6	19,167
	Russell Brooksbank (L)	22.4	5,523

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 24,690
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 71

Incumbent Rita Fleming advanced from the Democratic primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 71 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rita Fleming	100.0	6,021

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,021
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Indiana House of Representatives District 71

Russell Brooksbank advanced from the Libertarian convention for Indiana House of Representatives District 71 on March 7, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Russell Brooksbank (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.

2016

See also: Indiana's 9th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as a race to watch. Incumbent Todd Young (R) won election to the U.S. Senate in 2016, leaving his seat open. Trey Hollingsworth (R) defeated Shelli Yoder (D) and Russell Brooksbank (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Hollingsworth defeated Robert Hall, Erin Houchin, Brent Waltz, and Greg Zoeller in the Republican primary. On the other side of the aisle, Yoder defeated Bob Kern, James McClure Jr., and Bill Thomas to win the Democratic nomination. The primary elections took place on May 3, 2016.^[2]^[3]

**U.S. House, Indiana District 9 General Election, 2016**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Trey Hollingsworth	54.1%	174,791
	Democratic	Shelli Yoder	40.5%	130,627
	Libertarian	Russell Brooksbank	5.4%	17,425
Total Votes				322,843
Source: Indiana Division of Elections

**U.S. House, Indiana District 9 Republican Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Trey Hollingsworth	33.5%	40,767
Erin Houchin	25%	30,396
Greg Zoeller	21.9%	26,554
Brent Waltz	13%	15,759
Robert Hall	6.6%	8,036
Total Votes		121,512
Source: Indiana Secretary of State

**U.S. House, Indiana District 9 Democratic Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Shelli Yoder	70.1%	44,253
Bob Kern	11.6%	7,298
James McClure Jr.	10.4%	6,574
Bill Thomas	7.9%	4,990
Total Votes		63,115
Source: Indiana Secretary of State

2014

See also: Indiana House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Indiana House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 7, 2014. Incumbent Steven R. Stemler was unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Russell Brooksbank (L), who filed to run on July 2, 2014, in the general election.^[4]^[5]^[6]

**Indiana House of Representatives 71, General Election, 2014**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Steven R. Stemler Incumbent	83.9%	11,370
	Libertarian	Russell Brooksbank	16.1%	2,182
Total Votes				13,552

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Russell Brooksbank completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Brooksbank's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Russell is a libertarian activist who has been in the political trenches since 2012. During this time he has fought for the rights of all by speaking out against injustice, running for office, being a watchdog in his community, and holding our elected officials feet to the fire. He believes that we all have a right to good government. He believes we all have a responsibility to educate ourselves and get involved in the political process. Russell is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve. Spending 6 1/2 years as a Combat Engineer. He is a concrete truck driver by trade. He is a Teamster and has been a Chief Steward for over 14 years. He is a father of 3 and grandfather of 2.

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?

There is no such thing as government money. It's your money. They have taken it from you. I support the end of taxation and instead am a proponent of voluntary donations by the citizens to provide for the common good.
Government is too big. If we want to get money out of politics then we have to shrink the size and scope of government. As long as there is influence to buy there will be people lined up outside the door of our representatives to buy that influence. I'm an advocate for less government and more freedom. I trust my neighbor with freedom more than I trust the government with power.
Nobody owns you, your labor, or your justly acquired property. Society does not have a claim. Neither does the government. You should be free to live your life, keep the fruits of your labor, and use your property how you see fit, provided you aren't violating someone's rights in the process. Government's role is to secure our rights. Nothing more. Nothing less.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I'm passionate about shrinking the size and scope of government. I'm also passionate about bringing our troops home.

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

My dad. He was a patriot, a good friend, a good neighbor, a good Christian, and a good father. He was loved by all he came in contact with. He showed me how to love my fellow man, take care of my family, and how to persevere through hard times.

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

There is a book titled "Uncommon Sense: A Real American Manifesto" by William Murray that I believe should be required reading.

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

I believe the most important characteristics for an elected official are integrity and courage. You must have the integrity to do what you said you were going to do regardless of political outcome. You also need the courage to stand for what is right, reach across the aisle, and admit when you are wrong.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Being able to find common ground with anyone and build from there is one quality that I believe would make me a success. Another is my work ethic. I give 100%. I'm also honest to a fault. Don't ask me a question you don't want answered truthfully, lol.

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

The core responsibility of someone elected to office is to secure our rights.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to leave my grandchildren a government of the people, by the people, and for the people instead of a government of the lobbyist, by the lobbyist, and for the lobbyist. I want to leave a legacy of service to your fellow man. I want to leave a legacy of love.

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

The first historical event I can remember is the death of Elvis Presley. I was 6 years old. We were vacationing in the Smokies. I remember coming in from swimming and hearing it on the news.

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

My first job was putting signs on the city busses. I was 14, I believe. I worked there for about 6 months and have had a job ever since.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I would have to say that the Bible is my favorite book. It is filled with so much wisdom for daily living.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Scrooge Mcduck. I mean, who wouldn't want to swim in piles of gold, lol.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"This is the song that never ends" by Lambchop

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have lived with depression my entire life. It took hitting rock bottom to finally reach out for help. I:m glad I did and pray that others will do the same. There is no shame in asking for help.

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

It holds the purse strings. No money is spent without their approval. This is a lot of power.

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

I do not. I actually think it's a detriment. When I was a trainer I always liked training people who had no idea what they were doing versus the guy who has done it for twenty years. New people come in with zero expectations about how things are done. The "veteran" comes in with preconceived notions. We need new and innovative approaches to solving our issues. Not more of the same.

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

I believe our greatest challenges center around our national debt. I believe it is the thing most likely to end the country.

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

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

We have the ability to limit the terms of our representatives every November. We should use that. I believe in the citizen legislator.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Ron Paul

Tell us your favorite joke.

"Two guys walk into a bar.....the third guy ducks!" I know it's corny, but I like it, lol.

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

That depends. I don't think people should compromise on core principles. The right to life is an example. It is important though for officials to be able to listen to and address the concerns of other policy makers. As a union steward I have been involved with many contract negotiations. I have found that the best contracts are ones where both sides walk away feeling like they got something out of it. We need to stop with the tribalism and start respecting each others input.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

It would play a huge role. My goal is to shrink government. The best way to do that is t o shrink the amount of our money they have to spend.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

Carefully.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Pro Life Libertarian Caucus

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

My views are simple. Everything should be transparent and government should be held accountable for everything they do.

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

Russell Brooksbank did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2014

Brooksbank submitted the following statement to Ballotpedia:^[7]

“

My political philosophy is simple. I believe, as stated in our founding documents, that the role of government is to secure our rights. Anything that is done to erode our rights goes against that philosophy. We don't need our pocketbooks governed. We don't need our bedrooms governed. We don't need our lives governed. We need our government governed. That is what I aim to do if elected.^[8]

”

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.

Russell Brooksbank campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Indiana District 9	Lost general	$0	N/A**
2020	Indiana House of Representatives District 71	Lost general	$54	N/A**
Grand total			$54	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Brooksbank and his wife have three children.^[9]

External links

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Candidate

U.S. House Indiana District 9

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 5, 2024
↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "May 3, 2016 Primary Election," accessed February 8, 2016
↑ The New York Times, "Indiana Primary Results," May 3, 2016
↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Official primary election candidate list," accessed February 10, 2014
↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 12, 2014
↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Official general election candidate list," accessed August 11, 2014
↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named bio
↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
↑ Elect Brooksbank, "About," accessed October 5, 2014

[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)

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 5, 2024

[cong16-2] Indiana Secretary of State, "May 3, 2016 Primary Election," accessed February 8, 2016

[primaryresults-3] The New York Times, "Indiana Primary Results," May 3, 2016

[4] Indiana Secretary of State, "Official primary election candidate list," accessed February 10, 2014

[5] Indiana Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 12, 2014

[6] Indiana Secretary of State, "Official general election candidate list," accessed August 11, 2014

[bio-7] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named bio

[quotedisclaimer-8] Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[about-9] Elect Brooksbank, "About," accessed October 5, 2014

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Russell Brooksbank

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 9

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9

Endorsements

2020

General election

General election for Indiana House of Representatives District 71

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 71

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Indiana House of Representatives District 71

2016

2014

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

2020

2014

Campaign finance summary

Personal

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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