Indiana Election Round-Up

Indiana Republicans made a clean sweep of the statewide elections this year. Secretary of State Connie Lawson, State Auditor Suzanne Crouch and State Treasurer candidate Kelly Mitchell each handily defeated their Democratic opponents. All three captured between 57% and 60% of the vote with Crouch leading the statewide ticket.

In the State House races, it was another banner year for the Senate and House Republicans as they extended their super majority control of both chambers. At least two Democratic incumbents lost tonight, including Sen. Tim Skinner, who lost to Jon Ford, and Sen. Richard Young, who lost to Erin Houchin. State Sen. Mike Delph (R) turned back a strong challenge from Democrat newcomer J.D. Ford, an openly gay candidate. Ford carried Marion County with about 55% of the vote, but Delph easily offset that vote by winning handily in Hamilton and Boone Counties, finishing with about 54% of the district-wide vote.

In the House, former State Rep. Bruce Borders regained the seat he lost two years ago by defeating Bionca Gambill. Julie Olthoff (R) appears poised to knock off State Rep. Shelli Vandenburgh (D). Republican William Fine was narrowing defeating State Rep. Mara Candelaria-Reardon (D). At least one incumbent Republican lawmaker, Jack Lutz, appeared to lose to his Democratic opponent, Melanie Wright. State Rep. Eric Turner (R) won re-election to the House seat he said in advance he would not represent if elected. He defeated Democrat Bob Ashley, allowing GOP committeepersons to select his replacement. State Rep. Christina Hale (D) narrowly defeated Republican Mike Friedman.

Indiana re-elected all nine of its incumbent congressional members by wide margins over their opponents.

Marion County Democrats swept every countywide race by wide margins. Marion Co. Prosecutor Terry Curry (D) led the Democratic ticket. Sheriff John Layton, who some thought faced a difficult race from Republican Emmitt Carney, wound up winning re-election handily with 59% of the vote.

There was an interesting vote up in Allen Co. where voters overwhelmingly rejected a plan to elect a single county executive. The measure was rejected by a 71-29% margin. In Columbus, voters rejected a proposal to fund pre-K education, the second consecutive election in which the measure has lost.

In the school board races for Indianapolis Public Schools, the out-of-state education profiteers succeed in purchasing three seats for candidates who are financially beholden to their profit centers, including at-large candidate and education consultant, Mary Ann Sullivan, GreatSchools consultant Kelly Bentley, and charter school dean LaNier Echols. This gives the education profiteers total control of the school board. Expect the bank accounts of those school board members to grow substantially as they deliver the goods to their masters at the expense of our public school system and the children it is supposed to serve.