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United States Senate election in Indiana, 2018

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U.S. Senate, Indiana
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: February 9, 2018
Primary: May 8, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent:
Joe Donnelly (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Voting in Indiana
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Inside Elections: Toss-up
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
U.S. Senate, Indiana
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th
Indiana elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018

Former state Rep. Mike Braun (R) defeated U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D) and business consultant Lucy Brenton (L) in the general election on November 6, 2018, to represent Indiana in the United States Senate.

Thirty-five of the 100 seats in the United States Senate were up for election in 2018, including two seats up for special election. Republicans gained four previously Democratic-held seats and Democrats gained two previously Republican-held seats, resulting in a net gain of two seats for the Republican Party and a 53-seat majority in the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the chamber in the 116th Congress. At the time of the election, Republicans held a 51-seat Senate majority. Democrats held 47 seats, and the two independents caucused with them. Democrats faced greater partisan risk in 2018, as they were defending 26 seats while Republicans were only defending nine. Democrats had to defend seats in 10 states Donald Trump (R) won. The GOP defended one Senate seat in a state Hillary Clinton (D) won.

Trump won Indiana by 19 points in the 2016 presidential election. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win Indiana was Barack Obama in 2008. Donnelly was first elected in 2012, defeating State Auditor Richard Mourdock (R) by 5.7 percentage points. Prior to his win, Republicans had won every U.S. Senate election in the state since 2004. In the 2016 Senate race, U.S. Rep. Todd Young (R) defeated former U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh (D) by 9.7 percentage points for the seat held by retiring incumbent Dan Coats (R).

Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, click here.

Candidates and election results

See also: Statistics on U.S. Congress candidates, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Indiana

Mike Braun defeated incumbent Joe Donnelly and Lucy Brenton in the general election for U.S. Senate Indiana on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Mike Braun
Mike Braun (R)
 
50.7
 
1,158,000
Image of Joe Donnelly
Joe Donnelly (D)
 
44.8
 
1,023,553
Image of Lucy Brenton
Lucy Brenton (L)
 
4.4
 
100,942
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.0
 
70

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,282,565
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = 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

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Indiana

Incumbent Joe Donnelly advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Indiana on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Joe Donnelly
Joe Donnelly
 
100.0
 
284,621

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 284,621
Candidate Connection = 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

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Indiana

Mike Braun defeated Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Indiana on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Mike Braun
Mike Braun
 
41.2
 
208,602
Image of Todd Rokita
Todd Rokita
 
30.0
 
151,967
Image of Luke Messer
Luke Messer
 
28.8
 
146,131

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

Total votes: 506,700
Candidate Connection = 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

Candidate profiles

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages


Joe Donnelly, senior U.S. senator from Indiana
Joe Donnelly.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: Yes

Political office: U.S. Senate (assumed office: 2013), U.S. House of Representatives (2007-2012)

Biography: Donnelly graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in government in 1977 and the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1981. He ran the business Marketing Solutions, worked as an attorney, and served as president of the school board for Mishawaka Marian High School.[1]

Key messages
  • Donnelly spoke of "Hoosier commonsense" that he said he displayed while serving in Washington, D.C.[2]
  • Donnelly emphasized his support for coverage of pre-existing conditions in the Affordable Care Act and his opposition to Republican repeal-and-replace plans in 2017. He also highlighted his opposition to the 2017 tax bill and his attention to veterans issues.[2]



Mike Braun, former Indiana state representative
Mike Braun.png

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Republican

Incumbent: No

Political office: Indiana House of Representatives (2014-2016)

Biography: Braun earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Wabash College and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He began working at Meyer Body Company in 1981, eventually becoming the owner and transferring the business from auto parts manufacturing to distribution.[4]

Key messages
  • Braun emphasized that he was a business owner and said he wanted to help President Trump fight career politicians in Washington, D.C.[5]
  • Braun said he was a successful businessman and that his employees benefitted from higher wages and lower health insurance premiums under his management. He said Donnelly outsourced jobs to Mexico at the expense of American-based workers.[6]
  • Braun said he was a family man and devoted Christian with deep ties to the state of Indiana.[6]



Lucy Brenton, business consultant
Lucy Brenton 2016 - Copy.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Libertarian

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: Brenton received her bachelor's degrees in economics and French from Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis. She worked as a business consultant and served as president of the Central Indiana Real Estate Investors Association. Brenton ran for Senate in 2016 as the Libertarian nominee. She received 5.5 percent of the vote, losing to Republican Todd Young.[7]

Key messages
  • Brenton highlighted her support for the Libertarian Party's platform and said she would apply the libertarian approach to issues like "Immigration, Foreign Policy, 4th Amendment Encroachments, Gun Rights, Taxation."[8]




Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
U.S. Senate election in Indiana, Donnelly vs. Braun
Poll Poll sponsor Democratic Party Donnelly Republican Party BraunUndecided/OtherMargin of errorSample size
Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R)
October 27-30, 2018		Fox News 45%38%17%+/-3.5722
Marist University
October 24-28, 2018		NBC News 45%42%13%+/-5.5496
Cygnal
October 26-27, 2018		N/A 46%49%5%+/-4.36505
YouGov
October 23-26, 2018		CBS News 43%46%11%+/-3.7975
Mason Strategies
October 15-20, 2018		IndyPolitics.org 43%47%10%+/-3.9600
American Viewpoint
October 14-17, 2018		Braun campaign 40%44%16%+/-3.0800
SurveyUSA
October 12-16, 2018		Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics 41%40%19%+/-4.61,400
Vox Populi (Republican vs. Democrat only, no undecided option)
October 13-15, 2018		N/A 44%38%0%+/-3.5783
Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R)
September 29-October 2, 2018		Fox News 43%41%16%+/-3.5695
Ipsos/Reuters/UVA Center for Politics
September 12-19, 2018		N/A 46%43%11%+/-3.31,181
Anderson Robbins Research (D)/Shaw & Company Research (R)
September 8-11, 2018		Fox News 43%45%12%+/-3.5677
Marist University
August 26-29, 2018		NBC News 44%41%15%+/-5.0576
Trafalgar Group
July 31-August 7, 2018		N/A 51%39%11%+/-2.61,420
AVERAGES 44.15% 42.54% 12% +/-3.84 833.08
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

PredictIt Prices

This section provides the PredictIt market prices for this race during the three months leading up to the election. PredictIt is a site where people make and trade predictions on political and financial events. Market prices reflect the probability, based on PredictIt users' predictions, that a candidate will win a race. For example, a market price of $0.60 for Candidate A is equivalent to a 60 percent probability that Candidate A will win.

Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Joe Donnelly Democratic Party $17,253,015 $17,173,078 $173,873 As of December 31, 2018
Mike Braun Republican Party $19,663,419 $19,591,836 $71,583 As of December 31, 2018
Lucy Brenton Libertarian Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. 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.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.


Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[9][10][11]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

  • America First Action (AFA)
    • AFA announced it would spend another $1 million to support Braun on October 16.[12]
    • AFA announced that it planned to spend $2 million to support Braun on September 26.[13]
  • Americans for Prosperity (AFP)
    • In March 2018, AFP spent an additional $2.1 million on an ad campaign against Donnelly.[14]
    • AFP spent $4 million in February 2018 on ad buys against Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) in response to their vote against the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017. "Joe Donnelly and Claire McCaskill promised tax reform for years but chose partisan politics over Indiana and Missouri families when they had a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide tax relief," Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillip said in a statement. Both candidates responded that they would have preferred to work with Republicans to craft different tax legislation.[15]
  • The Credit Union National Association announced it would spend $525,000 on digital ads and direct mail supporting Donnelly on October 17.[16]
  • One Nation released an ad in July 2018 criticizing Donnelly for voting against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.[18]
  • Senate Leadership Fund (SLF)
    • SLF launched a $1.6 million ad buy against Donnell featuring this ad October 2.[19]
    • The SLF announced it would spend $1.4 million opposing Donnelly the week of Sept. 10-14.[20]
    • SLF committed to spending $7.1 million on ads in this race to air for six weeks after Labor Day.[21]
    • SLF launched an ad buy in February 2018 that alleges Donnelly outsourced jobs to Mexico: "Mexico Joe says one thing in public ... But behind the scenes his family is still profiting from outsourcing jobs to Mexico."[22]
  • Senate Majority PAC (SMP)
    • In September 2018, SMP and Priorities USA joined together for an $18 million digital ad campaign across Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota. The Indiana ad criticized Mike Braun for using Chinese suppliers for his business.[23]
    • In July 2018, SMP launched a $1 million ad campaign questioning how Braun could not know the auto parts distributed by his company were made in China and not the United States.[24]
    • SMP announced $1.8 million television ad campaign and $600,000 digital ad campaign, in partnership with Priorities USA, to defend Donnelly and McCaskill on their tax policy. "Claire McCaskill and Joe Donnelly refuse to cut Medicare and balloon the national debt so that the Koch brothers can get another tax break,” Chris Hayden, the communications director of SMP, said in February 2018. “While their Republican opponents will do anything to impress out-of-state billionaires, Claire and Joe have a bipartisan record of putting middle class families first.”[25] In March 2018, following additional spending from AFP, SMP also invested another $500,000 into the race.[26]
  • Vote for Hoosier Values disclosed $623,000 in spending supporting Joe Donnelly on October 18.

Race ratings

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[28]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[29][30][31]

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Indiana, 2018
Race trackerRace ratings
October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018October 9, 2018
The Cook Political ReportToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.


Noteworthy general election endorsements
Endorsement Donnelly (D) Braun (R)
Elected officials
President Donald Trump (R) ✔
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D)[32] ✔
Former President Barack Obama (D)[33] ✔
Organizations
National Association of Realtors[34] ✔
National Federation of Independent Business[35] ✔
The Fraternal Order of Police of Indiana[36] ✔
U.S. Chamber of Commerce[27] ✔
National Border Patrol Council[37] ✔

Declined to endorse

The following groups declined to endorse or directly support either candidate:

Timeline

  • November 5, 2018: President Donald Trump (R) held a rally in Fort Wayne in support of Braun.[48]
  • November 4, 2018: Former President Barack Obama (D) appeared at a campaign rally for Donnelly in Gary.[33]
  • October 31, 2018: An NBC/Marist poll found Donnelly with 45 percent and Braun with 42 percent. The margin of error was 5.5 percentage points.
  • October 30, 2018: The candidates met in a debate hosted by the Indiana Debate Commission. Read more below.
  • October 30, 2018: A Cygnal poll showed Braun with 49 percent and Donnelly with 46 percent. The margin of error was 4.36 percentage points.
  • October 28, 2018: A CBS News/YouGov poll showed Braun with 46 percent and Donnelly with 43 percent. The margin of error was 3.7 percentage points.
  • October 25, 2018: Mike Braun loaned his campaign $1 million.[49]
  • October 23, 2018: A Mason Strategies poll commissioned by IndyPolitics.org found Braun with 47 percent and Donnelly with 43 percent. The margin of error was 3.9 percentage points.
  • October 22, 2018: A SurveyUSA poll commissioned by the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics found Donnelly with 41 percent and Braun with 40 percent. The margin of error was 4.6 percentage points.
  • October 18, 2018: Vote for Hoosier Values disclosed $623,000 in spending supporting Joe Donnelly.
  • October 17, 2018: The Credit Union National Association announced it would spend $525,000 supporting Joe Donnelly.
  • October 16, 2018: America First Action announced it would spend another $1 million supporting Braun, bringing its total spending in the race to $3 million.[12]
  • October 15, 2018: Mike Braun reported raising $5.6 million in the third quarter of 2018, including $2.4 million in personal loans. Joe Donnelly reported raising $3.1 million.[50]
  • October 12, 2018: Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) held a early vote rally for Donnelly in northwest Indiana.[32]
  • October 8, 2018: The candidates met in a debate. See full coverage below.
  • October 3, 2018: A Fox News poll found Joe Donnelly leading Mike Braun 43-41. The margin of error was 3.5 percentage points.
  • October 2, 2018: The Senate Leadership Fund launched a $1.6 million ad buy opposing Joe Donnelly.
  • September 28, 2018: Joe Donnelly announced he would vote against Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court justice.[51]
  • September 26, 2018
    • America First Action announced that it planned to spend $2 million on Braun.[13]
    • An Ipsos/Reuters/University of Virginia Center for Politics poll of 1,181 likely voters found Donnelly ahead of Braun by 3 percentage points, 46 percent to 43 percent. The margin of error was 3.3 percent.[52]
  • September 24, 2018: The National Association of Realtors PAC endorsed Donnelly.[53]
  • September 13, 2018: A survey commissioned by Fox News found Braun leading Donnelly 45-43. The margin of error was 3.5 percentage points.
  • September 11, 2018: The Senate Leadership Fund announced it would spend $1.4 million opposing Donnelly the week of Sept. 10-14.
  • September 5, 2018: An NBC/Marist poll found Joe Donnelly leading Mike Braun 49 percent to 43 percent among likely voters. The margin of error was 5 percentage points.
  • August 30, 2018: President Donald Trump held a rally in Evansville, Indiana, where he discussed immigration and trade policy and supported Braun's candidacy.[54]
  • July 19, 2018: Donnelly released an ad featuring Trump complimenting him on the passage of "right to try" legislation, which gives terminally ill patients the right to use experimental medications.
  • July 18, 2018: Braun released an ad featuring his employees praising him and his company.
  • June 18, 2018: Donnelly released an ad claiming that Braun's business purchased supplies from overseas and cost the state jobs.
  • June 7, 2018: Braun released his first campaign ad of the general election season to showcase his business experience.
  • May 29, 2018: Senate Majority PAC and Priorities USA Action spent $1 million on another ad campaign highlighting the firing of a trucker for Braun's company after he had emergency surgery.[55]
  • May 16, 2018: Senate Majority PAC spent $500,000 on an ad buy criticizing elements of Braun's business record, including lawsuits from workers, unsafe working conditions, and importing goods from foreign countries.[56]
  • May 8, 2018: Braun and Donnelly advanced from the Republican and Democratic primaries, respectively.
  • April 17, 2018: Donnelly released his first campaign ad of the cycle, highlighting his Lugar Center rating as the second most bipartisan senator.
  • March 15, 2018: Senate Majority PAC spent an additional $500,000 on an ad buy defending Donnelly on tax policy, featuring a Hoosier discussing his concerns with the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017.[57]
  • March 14, 2018: Americans for Prosperity spent an additional $2.1 million on an ad campaign against Donnelly for his vote against the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017.[14]

Policy stances

Tariffs

In response to a series of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in 2018, the candidates took the following positions:[58]

  • Donnelly said he supported targeted tariffs on China to punish unfair practices related to steel dumping but opposed the Trump administration's wider tariffs, which he said would hurt farmers and manufacturers dependent on international trade.
  • Braun said he opposed tariffs in principle due to his business experience but supported Trump's tariffs on China, which he said could lead to a better deal with the country and prevent unfair practices. He said American farmers could be harmed by Trump's tariffs on China and that he wanted the U.S. to band together with other trading partners, including Mexico and the European Union, to offset temporary losses from China.

Wall along U.S.-Mexico border

  • In August 2018, Donnelly said that he would support providing the Trump administration with more funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to avoid a government shutdown. He said, "I’m fine with providing him some more. I actually voted for border wall funding three different times. ... I’m fine with that. I’m fine with $3 [billion], $3.5, $4 or $5."[59]
  • Braun stated on his campaign website, "The single most important obligation our government has is to protect its citizens. But for decades, the Congress has failed to meet this duty by refusing to address the southern border, allowing illegal immigrants and illicit drugs to pour into our communities. The time for inaction is over. President Trump was right. We must act immediately to secure the border by building a wall."[60]

Health insurance and pre-existing conditions

  • Braun said in August 2018 that health insurance plans should cover pre-existing conditions. "Definitely; yes. Nobody should go broke because they get sick or have a bad accident," he said.[61]
  • Donnelly opposed the Department of Justice arguing that insurers should not have to cover Americans with pre-existing conditions under the Affordable Care Act. "We should not return to the days when insurers could deny Americans health care coverage due to a pre-existing condition like cancer, arthritis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or others," he said in July 2018.[62]

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic Party Joe Donnelly

Support

"What A Mess" - Donnelly campaign ad, released October 25, 2018
"Indiana Senate" - CUNA ad, released October 17, 2018
"Axe" - Donnelly campaign ad, released October 17, 2018
"Peace Through Strength" - Donnelly campaign ad, released October 16, 2018
"Pick Up Truck" - Donnelly campaign ad, released October 4, 2018
"1.1 Million" - Donnelly campaign ad, released September 25, 2018
"Jacob" - Donnelly campaign ad, released September 14, 2018
"RV" - Donnelly campaign ad, released September 4, 2018
"Borders" - Donnelly campaign ad, released August 14, 2018
"Fighting Change" - Donnelly campaign ad, released July 19, 2018
"Indiana Joe" - Senate Majority PAC ad, released June 19, 2018
"Navigate" - Donnelly campaign ad, released April 17, 2018
"Tough" - Senate Majority PAC ad, released March 15, 2018
"Bullied" - Senate Majority PAC ad, released February 15, 2018

Oppose

"Call Senator Donnelly: Tell him to make the tax cuts permanent" - U.S. Chamber of Commerce ad, released October 25, 2018
"Inflatable" - Braun ad, released October 25, 2018
"Airport" - NRSC ad, released October 24, 2018
"Circus" - NRSC ad, released October 11, 2018
"Hoosiers Deserve to Know" - NRSC ad, released October 12, 2018
"Donnelly's Record Proves It" - Braun campaign ad, released October 11, 2018
"Shameful" - Senate Leadership Fund ad, released October 11, 2018
"Couldn't Agree More" - America First Action ad, released October 8, 2018
"Joe Donnelly will say anything to keep his job." - Braun ad, released October 4, 2018
"Hooked Up" - NRSC ad, released October 3, 2018
"Salary" - SLF ad, released October 2, 2018
"Snore" - NRSC ad, released September 26, 2018
"Tell Senator Donnelly: Stop Opposing Tax Relief" - U.S. Chamber Action ad, released September 21, 2018
"Fire Drill" - NRSC ad, released September 21, 2018
"Joe will raise your taxes, destroy jobs, and open borders" - Mike Braun ad, released August 31, 2018
"Larry" - One Nation ad, released July 24, 2018
"Count Me In" - One Nation ad, released July 11, 2018
"Working" - One Nation ad, released May 11, 2018
"Mexico Joe" - Senate Leadership Fund ad, released February 6, 2018
Americans for Prosperity ad, released March 15, 2018

Republican Party Mike Braun

Support

"Always Do" - Braun campaign ad, released October 17, 2018
"Mike Braun Stands with American Workers" - Braun campaign ad, released July 18, 2018
"Meyer Means Family" - Braun campaign ad, released June 7, 2018
"Trust" - Braun campaign ad, released April 3, 2018
"Braun Treats Workers Right, Donnelly Profits from Outsourcing" - Braun campaign ad, released June 20, 2018

Oppose

"Deep" - Senate Majority PAC campaign ad, released October 30, 2018
"Mike and Joe" - Senate Majority PAC campaign ad, released October 25, 2018
"Caught" - Senate Majority PAC campaign ad, released October 24, 2018
"Dangerous" - Senate Majority PAC campaign ad, released October 19, 2018
"All About" - Senate Majority PAC campaign ad, released October 11, 2018
"Adds Up" - Senate Majority PAC campaign ad, released October 11, 2018
"Mistreated" - Donnelly campaign ad, released October 8, 2018
"Manual" - Majority Forward ad, released October 1, 2018
"Big" - Majority Forward ad, released September 20, 2018
"Beijing before Bloomington" - Priorities USA ad, released September 8, 2018
"Really Blue" - Majority Forward ad, released August 31, 2018
"Majesty" - Senate Majority PAC ad, released July 13, 2018
"Mister" - Senate Majority PAC ad, released June 19, 2018
"Mike Braun Doesn't Care About Us" - Priorities USA ad, released May 29, 2018
"Doesn't Match" - Senate Majority PAC ad, released May 16, 2018

Campaign tactics and strategies

Indiana Democratic Party mailers supporting Lucy Brenton

On October 30, The Indianapolis Star reported that the Democratic Party of Indiana sent mailers supporting Libertarian candidate Lucy Brenton over Mike Braun (R). The mailers said, "Looking for a candidate who will really lower your taxes?" and said that Brenton "is an anti-tax conservative" while Braun "raised Indiana taxes 159 times."

In response, Brenton said, "I am grateful for the free publicity highlighting my tax stance, but think it will backfire. Many Democrats are Constitution loving, fiscally conservative voters and my message resonates with them, too. Ultimately, how well they targeted the addresses will determine which voters learn that they have a choice in this race that demands all of their freedoms, all of the time."

A spokesperson for the Republican Party of Indiana said, "As we enter the final week before Election Day, it's clear that Democrats are desperate to win, and they'll do and say absolutely anything to beat Mike Braun -- including trying to trick Hoosiers."[63]

Noteworthy events

Brett Kavanaugh confirmation vote

See also: Supreme Court vacancy, 2018: An overview

On October 6, 2018, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Fifty Senators voted to confirm Kavanaugh's nomination, 48 voted against, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted present. A simple majority was required to confirm Kavanaugh.[64]

Donnelly voted against Kavanaugh. When announcing his opposition on September 28, Donnelly said, “I have deep reservations about Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to this lifetime position and, as I stated, we have been unable to get all the information necessary regarding this nomination, despite my best efforts. Only 113 people have ever served on the Supreme Court, and I believe that we must do our level best to protect its sanctity.”[65]

In response to Donnelly's opposition, Braun said, “Donnelly’s decision to oppose President Trump’s highly qualified nominee is a grave mistake, but proves he is more concerned with standing with his liberal Democrat leaders than standing for Hoosiers. I continue to strongly support Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.”[66]

Associated Press reports on Braun's and Donnelly's businesses

Democratic Party Donnelly

The Associated Press reported in July 2017 that Donnelly's family's arts and crafts company, Stewart Superior Corp., manufactured ink pads and other supplies in Mexico. Following the report, Donnelly sold his stock in Stewart.[67]

Republican Party Braun

The Associated Press reported in May and August 2018 that Braun's national auto parts distribution company, Meyer Distributing, relied on foreign-made parts from China. Braun said that he did business with American manufacturers and was unaware of where their products came from.[68]

Braun's own brand of automotive parts, Promaxx Automotive, also relied on products manufactured in China.[69]

Debates and forums

Oct. 30 Indiana Debate Commission debate

On October 30, Donnelly, Braun, and Brenton faced off in a debate hosted by the Indiana Debate Commission.[70] Among the topics they discussed were birthright citizenship and the coverage of pre-existing conditions.

See roundups of the debate here:

"Indiana Debate Commission" - released October 30, 2018

Oct. 8 Indiana Debate Commission debate

On October 8, Donnelly, Braun, and Benton met in a debate hosted by the Indiana Debate Commission. Among the topics they discussed were support for President Trump, the Affordable Care Act, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, abortion, and foreign policy.

See roundups of the debate here:

"Indiana Debate Commission" - released October 8, 2018

Sept. 9 AACI forum

On September 9, the African American Coalition of Indianapolis (AACI) hosted a public forum with Donnelly and Braun. Listen to it here:

Campaign themes

Democratic Party Joe Donnelly

Donnelly’s campaign website stated the following:

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Education
Before he was a senator, Joe was just a dad to two kids, who coached their little league teams and helped them with their homework. He first got involved in public service as a parent who simply wanted to take a larger interest in kids’ education. As a member of his local school board, and later its President, Joe became familiar with the problems and challenges facing our communities’ schools. He understands that there’s nothing more important for Indiana’s future than the education they receive today. We need to make America’s public schools the envy of the world at every level if we’re to continue to be leaders in the 21st Century.Preparing our children for success starts early. Strong pre-K educations set up our kids to do better at every stage of their life. Joe has been a champion for expanding early childhood education as widely as possible to young Hoosiers, and he’s fought to increase funding for these programs.While higher education, including two- and four-year degrees, has become an increasingly necessary requirement for today’s good-paying jobs, the cost of college has far outstripped inflation and left a generation of students struggling with crushing debt. The growing student debt issue isn’t just a problem for millennials—families across Indiana are having to dig into emergency savings and tap retirement accounts to help recent graduates struggle with a debt they can’t escape. And by forcing recent graduates to put off buying cars or making down payments on a house, their burden of student loan debt has knock-on effects across our economy. Joe’s fought to preserve Pell Grants to keep the promise of affordable higher education open to every Hoosier, no matter their background. And he’s introduced the Empowering Student Borrowers Act, bipartisan legislation to help students make wise borrowing decisions and graduate with less debt.Higher education should be more affordable, but we also need to make sure it’s preparing graduates for the realities of the workforce. Joe’s focused on addressing the skills gap and making sure that students’ diplomas are backed by the real-world skills they’ll need in today’s economy.

Veterans and Servicemembers
The men and women of our armed forces and those who have served have put their lives on the line to protect our freedom and our flag. Joe believes we must honor the commitments we’ve made, while they wear the uniform and long after they return home. The men and women of our armed forces and those who have served have put their lives on the line to protect our freedom and our flag. Joe believes we must honor the commitments we’ve made, while they wear the uniform and long after they return home.Joe’s very first bill, the bipartisan Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act, was signed into law in 2014. Joe heard from Jacob’s father Jeff Sexton after Jacob, a Hoosier and National Guardsman, took his own life in 2009, and asked how they could work together to address veteran and military suicide. No family who has seen their son or daughter put on the uniform of our great nation should have to bear the unimaginable pain of seeing that child take their own life. Jacob’s namesake legislation ensures that by September of 2017, every service member – Active, Guard, and Reserve—will receive annual mental health assessments so they can receive the care they need and deserve.Joe’s focus on service member wellbeing has been a hallmark of his time in the Senate. His “Service Member and Veteran Care Package,” a trio of bipartisan bills focused on increasing access to mental health and suicide prevention assistance from those with the best awareness of the specific issues veterans and service members face, have all been signed into law.Joe’s also worked hard to make sure that Hoosier veterans can get the care they deserve. Joe has spent more than eight years working with the VA to open a new health care center in St. Joseph County that will cut down the distance that veterans in Michiana and North-Central Indiana have to travel to see a doctor. The groundbreaking for the facility in 2015 is the start of a real victory for Hoosier veterans.He understands that there’s no excuse for VA bureaucracy and mismanagement getting between veterans and their care. He’s repeatedly voted to make needed changes at the VA that would address the recent scandals centering around long wait times for veterans to receive their health care. Joe worked with Republicans to help pass the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, which would make it easier to fire bad actors at the VA while protecting whistleblowers and the vast majority of VA employees who do their jobs with distinction.

Jobs & The Economy
A former small business owner, Joe believes that every Hoosier who wants a job should have a job. He’s stood up for policies in the Senate that expand opportunities and help create more good-paying jobs that will strengthen middle class families and build strong communities. He’s crossed the state to talk to small business owners and workers about what he can do to help, even rolling up his sleeves and working alongside them on his “Donnelly Days” where he works alongside them. He’s drawn on those experiences and his own to cut red tape and boost manufacturing. He’s worked with state, federal, and local leaders to grow Hoosier businesses.Through his “opportunity agenda,” Joe has pushed for commonsense policies that will expand opportunities for Hoosiers today and for decades to come. It’s a plan that calls for Americans to build an all-in energy policy, invest in infrastructure that improves upon our crumbling roads and bridges, improve workforce development to make sure Indiana workers have the skills they need to succeed, and keep our businesses competitive through exports and innovation.When the financial crisis hit, Joe stepped up immediately to defend our workforce, fighting for the auto rescue that saved nearly 100,000 jobs in Indiana alone. He knows that automotive manufacturers depend on workers across the state – and they’ve provided good-paying jobs for generations of Hoosiers. His outspoken support from the beginning helped prevent disaster for Indiana’s working families.Joe understands the need to develop a workforce with the in-demand skills in our state. That's why he worked to pass his America Works Act to help train and connect job seekers with the skills required by local employers. And it’s why he introduced the Skills Gap Strategy Act to help modernize our nation’s approach to workforce development.

Trade
Indiana workers are the best in the world, and on a level playing field, they can compete with anyone. But years of unfair trade deals have enabled corporations to ship good-paying jobs to foreign countries while flooding American markets with cheap foreign goods. Joe understands that international trade is an integral part of the 21st century economy, and when done right, can ease the burdens on middle class families. First, we need to have the fair trade policies designed to prevent the system from becoming rigged and keep good-paying manufacturing jobs here at home. Joe believes we must continually ensure our trade deals are helping Hoosier workers, not harming them. Even before he came to Congress, Joe has called for the U.S. to renegotiate NAFTA and spoken out against its expansion. He’s demanded that the U.S. Trade Representative investigate China’s currency practices under the belief that they manipulate their currency. He’s voted against trade deals with South Korea, Colombia, Panama and Peru.In the Senate, Joe has introduced and fought for the End Outsourcing Act, which ensure that taxpayer dollars are used to support American workers and encourage companies to keep jobs in the U.S. If enacted, companies seeking federal contracts would be penalized if they had shipped jobs overseas, while companies that outsource would forfeit certain tax breaks for outsourcing. Businesses would be encouraged to invest in America instead of overseas with new tax incentives for companies that move foreign jobs back into America’s rural and impoverished communities.Finally, when it has come to helping workers harmed by the effects of international trade, Joe has answered the bell. After Carrier announced they’d lay off over 1,000 workers while shipping manufacturing jobs to Mexico, he spoke out for the laid off workers, standing with them at rallies. He played a crucial role supporting Indianapolis’ application for a grant to assist the workers whose jobs were outsourced in finding new jobs.

FACT CHECK: Joe Donnelly aligns with President Trump on unfair trade and the renegotiation of NAFTA
Joe Donnelly has been calling for the US to renegotiate NAFTA for nearly 15 years and has spoken out against its expansion. Since joining Congress. He’s voted against every bad trade deal that would create a rigged system that makes it easier for corporations to ship jobs out of the U.S. He has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the workers who lost their jobs when Rexnord and Carrier moved their manufacturing plants to Mexico, and his End Outsourcing Act would help prevent future outsourcing by penalizing companies who ship jobs to other countries.Joe also supports strong, targeted actions to protect our steelworkers from Chinese dumping, and has argued multiple times to that effect before the International Trade Commission. However, he has also stood up for Hoosier farmers and manufacturers who have become collateral damage amid the recent tariffs and demanded trade policies that don’t wreck their livelihoods. FACTS: Joe has expressed a desire to work with President Trump to put an end to one-sided trade deals and realign our trade policies to benefit America’s hardworking men and women.Joe has been calling for the renegotiation of NAFTA for nearly 15 years – since before he came to Congress – and spoke out against its expansion.Since joining Congress, Joe has long advocated for a new trade framework that allows all Americans to benefit from international trade based on the following principles:-- Robust and enforceable labor standards that ensure strong worker protections, such as fair wages and workplace safety, so that American workers are not disadvantaged by foreign labor.-- Additional measures to prevent the outsourcing of American jobs. Hard working men and women should not lose their jobs because of sheer corporate greed.-- Federal contracts must give preference to American goods and services. This ensures taxpayer dollars are used to support investments in American companies and workers.-- Tough penalties for interventionist monetary policies that distort the market and increase our trade deficits, hurting American companies and workers.-- Strengthen the ability of American farmers to export their products to foreign markets at a fair price.Joe introduced the End Outsourcing Act, which would keep good-paying jobs in America by penalizing corporations in line for government contracts who have shipped jobs overseas. Joe has spoken repeatedly with President Trump about the End Outsourcing Act and has said the president supports it.Joe shares the President’s desire to crack down on bad actors in the international marketplace, particularly China, to protect the steel and aluminum industries and prevent intellectual property theft.Joe has called on the administrations to punish bad actors like China in a more target way that doesn’t impact other markets. He remains very concerned about the potential lasting harm these tariffs will do to Hoosier farmers and businesses who have worked a lifetime to develop access to international markets that are now being lost to products grown and manufactured in other countries.

Health Care
Joe believes that in the richest country on earth, every citizen deserves access to quality, affordable health care. For years, he has said that Republicans and Democrats should work together to improve our health care system and expand access, but we can’t rely on partisan efforts that undermine the system and move it backward. He has always recognized that the law isn’t perfect, however, and has worked hard to improve it. He has led the charge to repeal the Medical Device tax to ensure Hoosier companies can continue to innovate and grow, and he introduced the bipartisan Forty Hours is Full Time Act, which would align the definition of a full-time work with the traditional 40 hour work week, providing certainty to both workers and employers.In 2017, Joe has stood strong against partisan efforts to undermine the health care system. He opposed proposals that would increase average Hoosier health care premiums by over $1,000 every year, as well as an “age tax” that would allow insurance companies to charge seniors up to five times more for their coverage. Joe fought to support and protect the bipartisan Health Indiana Plan, HIP 2.0, a program developed by then-Governor Pence through the ACA to provide health care to 400,000 Hoosiers, and he has opposed proposals that would allow insurance companies to discriminate against individuals with pre-existing conditions.Joe understands that if we truly want to strengthen our health care system, we have to work together. That is why he has worked with Republicans on ideas to stabilize the health insurance markets, promote price transparency, and develop effective ideas to lower the cost of health care.

The Opioid Epidemic
Whether in our smallest towns or biggest cities, families across Indiana are losing loved ones to the scourge of opioid abuse and addiction. When the jobs go out, the drugs come in – too many communities already struggling to cope with the loss of good-paying jobs that have sapped them of pride and needed resources now must deal with a second threat of addiction and abuse that can cause unimaginable strain. Put simply, the opioid epidemic is a tragedy the likes of which Heartland America has not seen in modern times, and it will take all of us, working together, to begin to make it right. Joe believes in a comprehensive approach that addresses the epidemic at every step of the way—from modern prescribing practices which understand that today’s painkiller can be the start of tomorrow’s addiction, to updated best practices for first responders treating overdoses; from adequate resources for those in rehabilitation and recovery to supporting rural economic drivers that address the workforce shortage in underserved areas.Joe’s worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle on the issue, and his ideas were a crucial piece of the first major bipartisan legislation to address the crisis - the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act, or CARA. Thanks to Joe, the bill created a new task force to develop modernized prescribing practices and raise awareness of the updated standards in an attempt to stop addiction before it starts. Joe also amended the bill to encourage first responders to connect those who have received naloxone with treatment and other follow-up services.Our rural communities are often those struggling the most with this epidemic, yet Joe understands that they’re most in need of the resources to help combat it. He’s searched for new ways to increase the number of rural health care treatment providers who are on the front lines of the crisis. He’s introduced bipartisan legislation, like his Strengthening the Addiction Workforce and Treatment Act, that would provide new incentives to attract providers to hard-hit rural communities, by making addiction treatment facilities eligible for a federal student loan repayment and forgiveness program. Additional bipartisan bills from Joe would increase the accessibility of telemedicine for substance abuse programs and funding for community facilities addressing opioid and drug abuse.

Seniors
Our seniors have spent their lives paying into a system that they’ve counted on to be there for them, and Joe knows they’re counting on us to follow through. In recent years, Hoosiers have watched as Washington politicians have put their retirement at risk; in Joe, they have someone who’ll fight hard every day so that they have the dignity of a secure retirement. For many older Americans, Social Security is a critical source of income. Joe believes we need to strengthen retirement, and he’ll fight against any proposal to weaken Social Security, cut payments or raise the eligibility age. He’s opposed efforts to privatize Social Security accounts and gamble seniors’ retirements on an ever-volatile stock market.While some people in Washington are willing to put older Hoosiers’ health care at risk, Joe wants to make sure we protect and preserve Medicare for those who rely on it today and for future generations. He hasn’t given an inch on any proposal to cut the program, and during the recent health care repeal debates, he introduced an amendment that would stop the privatization of Medicare—or any other changes like raising the retirement age, or reducing state payments, that would harm Hoosiers. No matter how Washington tries to cut the services next time that older Hoosiers have earned, Joe will continue to be on the side of Indiana.

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—Joe Donnelly’s campaign website (2018)[72]

Republican Party Mike Braun

Braun’s campaign website stated the following:

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PROTECTING THE 2ND AMENDMENT
Mike is an avid Hunter, NRA member, and 100% pro-second Amendment.

CREATING JOBS FOR ALL HOOSIERS
Government is not the driver of new job creation or economic prosperity. And too often it gets in the way with onerous regulations and sky-high taxes. President Trump’s work to remove burdensome red tape and lower taxes for families and businesses are a start, but now is the time to double down on empowering the private sector and job creators.

We need a tax code that is simple and fair. We must repeal Obamacare, not repair it, to rein in costs and expand healthcare options. And we must ensure that American jobs are filled by American workers, not outsourced to other countries or given to illegal immigrants.

DRAIN THE SWAMP
Washington is chock full of politicians who talk a slick game, but comes up empty when it comes to getting real results. These politicians have done nothing to increase the prosperity and safety of our families and instead rigged the system to benefit the politically connected and themselves.

To make Washington work again, the swamp must be drained. Career politicians from both parties need to be replaced with citizen legislators with real world experience who will always put the interest of Hoosier families and businesses first. And we must pass term limits for politicians now.

REFORM HEALTHCARE
Obamacare is an unmitigated disaster for Hoosier families and businesses. Despite the promises of Washington politicians, premiums went up, families lost their doctors, and insurance options disappeared. There is no repairing this broken law; the only option is to repeal and replace every word and regulation.

Rather than a top-down, government-run healthcare system, Mike Braun believes in common sense alternatives that will reduce costs and increase access to care. These include allowing individuals to purchase insurance across state lines and allowing small businesses to pool together to purchase insurance at lower prices.

REDUCE GOVERNMENT SPENDING
Washington’s out of control spending must be stopped. The big spending politicians from both parties are mortgaging our future. Due to their failures to get serious about budget deficits, the national debt stands at more than $20 trillion – that’s $70,000 for every American citizen!

It’s time to force Washington politicians to get their fiscal house in order by reining in spending and balancing the budget just as every Hoosier family and business does. To ensure Congress gets this done, there should be no pay for politicians if Washington does not pass a budget.

PROTECT OUR BORDERS
The single most important obligation our government has is to protect its citizens. But for decades, the Congress has failed to meet this duty by refusing to address the southern border, allowing illegal immigrants and illicit drugs to pour into our communities.

The time for inaction is over. President Trump was right. We must act immediately to secure the border by building a wall, crack down on criminal illegal immigrants and the Sanctuary Cities that protect them, end chain migration, and demand that every business verifies the immigration status of its workers to protect American workers.

STRENGTHEN OUR MILITARY
From North Korea to Russia, despots and dictators are increasing instability and danger throughout the world. To combat the rising tide of uncertainty, a strong American military is needed more than ever before. Mike Braun supports making sure our troops have the tools and equipment they need to protect America’s interests abroad and defeat ISIS terrorists where they live.

THE RIGHT TO LIFE
Mike Braun is a father of four grown children and many grandchildren. The right to life is deeply important to him and in the Senate Mike will support legislation that says that life begins at conception. [71]

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—Mike Braun’s campaign website (2018)[73]

Libertarian Party Lucy Brenton

Brenton’s campaign website stated the following:

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ABORTION:
I believe that unless we protect the smallest and most helpless members of society, that we protect no one. It is my fervent desire that no baby ever be aborted and that no one ever finds it necessary to seek one. Regardless of my personal view, the government should not be involved in what is ultimately a medical decision controlled by the woman in whose body the baby is growing. Personally, I believe that those who want to reduce the number of abortions must continually step forward to offer help and alternatives to women and families by creating an accepting culture that offers hope, financial resources and support in a situation where many are scared, feeling that they have run out of options.

It is not the place of the Federal government to pay for abortions nor legislate this issue. The Constitution has no mention of abortion and doesn’t authorize the federal government to be involved in abortion. Therefore, as a Libertarian, I would vote no on any legislation at the federal level because it is not within the purview of the Constitution.

AGRICULTURE/HEMP:
 Indiana is a strong agricultural State and the US is known for quality food, grain and other agricultural products around the world. It is imperative that federal government fulfill the responsibilities mandated by the Constitution to make interstate commerce uniform. Currently, the market for agricultural products is distorted by policies that incentive certain crops over others. Farmers, like other business people, follow the incentives given through farm subsidies while the free market is suppressed and ignored.

It is not the federal government’s job to pick winners and losers through farm subsidies. The free market must decide what crops and products are in demand and profitable. While the federal government can help make sure that interstate trade is uniform and fair, under the Constitution there is no power for the government to set prices or give subsidies. Those subsidies are just another example of corporate welfare and payment for political favors. Let the people keep the money in their pockets, let the market decide what is grown and stop the unconstitutional transfer of tax dollars to corporations.

ECONOMY – GROWTH – JOB CREATION:
Being broke in America really sucks as an individual. The federal government isn’t just broke – it’s been digging a hole for our great grandchildren. This is unacceptable and must be stopped immediately. To allow economic growth, the government must get out of the way. Government does not create jobs – private businesses do. Remove the barriers that real people face to starting and running their business and the economic growth that follows will be real and sustainable. The Constitution is very clear about an issue central to the economy: who controls the issuance of our money and regulates its value. Article I Section 8 Paragraph 5: (The Congress shall have the power…) “To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures; 6: To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;” Congress has defied the mandate of the Constitution and handed over the power of monetary regulation to the Federal Reserve with disastrous results.

Government does not create jobs. It never has and never will. When government interferes, Entrepreneurs & companies are burdened and jobs are not created.

First, we must commit to keeping the government at the absolute minimum size. Too many government agencies are parasites on taxpayers, staffing alphabet soup agencies that are not operating within nor authorized by the Constitution. A streamlined government keeping power here it belongs: in the hands of the people that it serves.

Corporate taxes must end. Why? Corporations do NOT pay taxes. They write the check – but only because they first get the money from their customers. It is the customers who pay the taxes. Corporate taxation is only a scheme to mask the transfer of funds to the government.

I will work to reduce and eliminate the obstacles that prevent small businesses from creating jobs in this country so that more jobs are available to the people who want them.

Economic growth will happen as a natural consequence of a constitutional money system and a laissez-faire policy to free markets. Freedom produces more wealth. The federal government must be limited to its Constitutional powers in all things.

ENVIRONMENT:
We all share the same environment and we all have the responsibility to keep the environment clean. This includes not soiling or trespassing on the environment by dumping trash or chemicals into our shared space. Corporations often dump chemicals into the environment or our water supply because it is more profitable for them to do so than to clean up or find alternatives to noxious chemicals. Taxpayers suffered by paying for the consequences of the actions of a private corporation that pollute our air, ground, and water.

Simply, this is trespass. The citizens have the right to live in a clean environment, free from anyone – corporations or individuals – that harm another. Regardless of whether you are punched in the face, someone dumps trash onto your property or releases toxic chemicals into your air or water, you have been the victim of trespass.

It is time, these perpetrators were held responsible for the trespass that is committed against people and property. When it is no longer more profitable to dump waste into the environment and force taxpayers and individuals to clean up the mess, we will see a change in the behavior of the perpetrators. When heads of companies use their corporation to commit trespasses that harm so severely they rise to a level of criminality, those trespassers must be held individually accountable. It is a rare event now when a corporation harms flora, fauna, water and humans and the individuals acting in their capacity as directors of those corporate actions are jailed or fined.

When individuals trespass against another, they should be held accountable. If I release toxic chemicals from my property that kill trees or animals that belong to my neighbor, I should be held accountable for trespass and a strict policy of restitution should be enforced. Whether corporate or individual, we must all be held to the same standards.

The one valid purpose of government is to protect its citizens from force and fraud. Environmental crimes are both a force and a fraud against taxpayers. I will work to end incentives to harm the environment and protect individual liberty and rights.

FOREIGN POLICY:
Foreign policy can be summed up succinctly: Friend to all, ally to none. It’s time we stopped using foreign policy as an excuse to meddle in the affairs of foreign countries or worse, to try and grab their natural resources for the benefit of corporations.

Each sovereign country on this planet has the same rights that we do, given by God. Namely, to be free from the interference in their affairs from others. Our current foreign policy has created problems around the globe because of our manipulation and back door deals to install in power those that are convenient to our government.

My foreign policy is simple: to make friends, not enemies. To stay out of the internal affairs of sovereign nations. To trade freely for the benefit of each. To treat other countries and peoples as we wish to be treated. To not initiate force against them and not take their stuff. In summary, to be a good neighbor.

Should a country, in spite of the above, instead aggress against us, of course we defend ourselves. I would not engage in any unlawful wars. Only Congress can declare war. The endless unconstitutional wars in which we engage must be stopped immediately. The American Taxpayer should not be burdened any further in wars which only make defense contractors rich and turn the world against the US and its war machine.

GAY RIGHTS:
I have a very simple personal philosophy on this issue: everyone has the same rights, regardless of who they are sleeping with – or not. We each have the right to pursue happiness. That looks different to each person. My rights stop where your nose begins.

Quite frankly, my sex life and choices are not your business when they don’t affect you. I am not interested in who you are sleeping with and it is not my business nor is it the government’s business. Consenting adults should be left alone to pursue their own happiness and agenda as long as their practices do not interfere with the life, liberty or pursuit of happiness of another.

Obviously, non-consenting adults and minors are an entirely different issue. Government exists to protect its citizens from force and fraud. In the case of force or fraud against a person – whether sexual in nature or not – government must endeavor to protect the rights of the victim, prevent the perpetrator from harming another and seek for restitution for the victim.

I would never force association nor advocate for forced association by the government on behalf of one group or another. If a private business doesn’t wish to do business with an individual – for example, refuse to provide a good or service that is anathema to the personal beliefs of the business owner – it is not within the purview of the government to force such association and require any business owner to perform a service or offer a product when there exists choice in the marketplace.

Clearly, where there are government created or supported monopolies, there is a lack of choice at this time. As an example, utilities. With rare exception, individuals have only one choice for a water provider, sewer provider, natural gas or electricity provider. These types of monopolies should not be allowed to choose with whom they do business as they are enjoying an artificial market sustained by government.

In the case of a private business where there exists competition – for example a bakery – the free market should and will regulate this issue. A gay couple wanting a wedding cake that approaches a bakery owned by individuals who disagree with the marriage of homosexuals should not be forced by government to bake a cake. The free market will deny the bakery the profit from that transaction and the couple is free to seek an alternative provider of that service. Of course, it is also likely that publicity in the free market of the denial of services might cause some to avoid this bakery and others to support it with their use of its services. Those who seek to provide maximum freedom will likely win the most in terms of higher profits and customer satisfaction. All of this can and should occur with no interference from government.

GUN RIGHTS:
There are many who joke about gun control being “to use both hands.” While I agree, I think that there is an inherent responsibility that each citizen has to be ready to defend our country. I believe this responsibility extends beyond the paid military and rests in the hands of every able citizen. Our founding fathers believed this, too – and worded the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution very carefully to reflect this: “A well regulated Milita, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

It is the right of “the people” (that’s you and I) to keep and bear Arms, not the right of the government. That right “shall not be infringed.”

Every willing citizen should keep Arms, be proficient in their use – and be ready to use them to defend themselves, their families, their property and this Nation.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION:
It seems redundant to say, but illegal immigration is, well, illegal! Why are people willing to come to this country however they can, even when it means breaking the law and risking deportation? There seem to be two main reasons that people come to this country. They are economic opportunity and economic theft. What does that mean? It means that some come to contribute to our economy, work hard and pursue the American Dream. Others dream of stealing from our taxpayers by coming and stealing from our welfare state.

Those who come to work hard and contribute should be welcomed. They want to build a better life for themselves, let them. They want to build a better country and stronger country – let them work alongside us in our communities. Let us cooperate for mutual benefit. Let them come legally so that they may honorably become Americans. Streamline the immigration process, screen carefully to keep out criminals. We were all immigrants once.

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Those who come to mooch off our welfare system should be stopped. Chances are they came here illegally and as criminals should be deported. If you are not here to work hard, to contribute and build community – then you are not welcome to steal from our public coffers.

Let good people in – make it easy to do so. Make it easier to get bad people out and remove the incentives that cause those unwilling to work to overrun our borders and burden our taxpayers.

JOB CREATION:
Government does not create jobs. It never has and never will. What does create jobs? Entrepreneurs who are willing to put their resources on the line to provide a product or service and need employees to get the job done. When government interferes, Entrepreneurs are burdened and jobs are not created. Why do companies move their operations to other countries? Burdensome regulation and high taxes. The result? US citizens lose their jobs – then go to Walmart to find the same products they used to make at the jobs they no longer have.

What can be done about this? First, we must commit to keeping the government at the absolute minimum size. Too many government agencies are mere parasites on taxpayers, staffing alphabet soup agencies that are not operating within nor authorized by the Constitution. A streamlined government steals the least from taxpayers keeping the spending power where it belongs: in the hands of the labor that created it.

Corporate taxes must end. Why? Corporations do NOT pay taxes. They write the check – but only because they first get the money from their customers. It is the customers who pay the taxes. Corporate taxation is only a scheme to mask the transfer of funds to government.

I will work to reduce and eliminate the obstacles that prevent small businesses from creating jobs in this country so that more jobs are available to the people who want them.

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION:
Throughout the ages, man has cultivated many plants. Some for food, some for medicine, some for industry. Marijuana and Hemp are two of those plants whose usefulness is nearly unlimited. It is this usefulness which drew the attention of competing industries and led to big industries demanding it be made illegal for one important reason: protecting their profits. All restrictions on Marijuana and Hemp should be removed immediately for both personal and industrial uses. We don’t tax people who consume broccoli and we shouldn’t tax people who consume marijuana. This useful plant should be available to all who wish to grow it and sell it.

Marijuana is exceptionally safe. Marijuana has the power to replace a multitude of dangerous pharmaceutical drugs that are expensive to us and profitable to pharmaceutical companies. This is the real reason you have been denied Marijuana.

Hemp is extremely useful. From rope, paper, cloth, concrete, plastic and dozens of other useful material uses…hemp has the power to fix carbon and change our world. What else would it change? Corporate profits. Look at the products just listed and understand that industries that compete with the above are the reason you don’t have widespread use of hemp. You are being denied the better building materials, paper, clothing, biodegradable plastics, and products because there are profits to protect. This is the real reason you have been denied Hemp.

Responsible adults should be free to decide what products they use and consume – as long as they don’t hurt anyone else. The essence of freedom is self-ownership. Decriminalize marijuana and release all non-violent offenders jailed for the non-crime of deciding what to put in their own bodies. Release hemp to industry so that farmers and manufacturers can give us innovative products from this amazing plant.

MEDICAL RIGHTS:
Libertarians call for choice in all things and medicine is no exception. Inherent in many medical procedures are risks. Some risks are small, some are great. Where there is risk, there must be choice. One way in which choice is limited is when patients are not allowed to choose what medicine they want to use. It is the patient who bears the risk and therefore it is the patient who must be free to choose. The person best able to advise the patient is the person chosen by the patient as their advisor. While I might disagree with your choice of provider – or your choice of medication – I believe that as long as you are willing to own up to your personal responsibility to deal with the consequences of your choices, then your choices are yours.

Some might choose to visit doctors specializing in traditional healing methods such as herbs. Others might choose Allopathic Doctors who use a more pharmaceutical-based approach. All options should be available to patients – and no type of medicine should be allowed to create a monopoly – the natural result of which is to increase profits and limit patient choice.

The Affordable Care Act limits choice. It forces patients to buy a product – an insurance product – which they may not need nor want. This must end. Private insurers can decide whether or not to offer insurance contracts to consumers – and consumers can choose whether or not they want insurance and if so, what coverage is appropriate for them. Maybe none at all.

In a free market, solutions will be created by the marketplace as consumers clamor for products that meet their needs. In a market free from government interference, innovation will flourish. Most importantly, the power of a consumer-driven marketplace can break the stranglehold of monopoly that we currently see in medicine. It is abhorrent that an individual be forced to buy a product that he doesn’t want, that doesn’t offer him the protection he needs – and provides services he would never use.

I suggest one solution among many – the formation of private health care co-operatives. People with similar lifestyles and similar risks can share the cost of healthcare – on a voluntary basis. I personally object to the ACA and any forced insurance scheme that lumps all groups together. I make healthier food choices than most. I don’t smoke or drink – yet under the ACA I am forced to subsidize the behavior and consequences of those who do. This is un-American and must be stopped.

I will fight for your right to make your own decisions. Only you can decide if a treatment is appropriate for you. Only you should decide who you want advising you on your personal healthcare decisions. There must always be true, informed consent when your health is on the line. Just as the Nuremberg Code stands against forced medical experimentation – I stand against forcing you to be a victim of the failed experiment that is our current healthcare system.

MINIMUM WAGE:
The minimum wage is often a sore subject with many workers. Some say it is too low and demand a “living wage.” Others say it is too high and discourages employers from hiring entry level works. Like Goldilocks, the government seems to constantly look for a minimum wage that is “just right.” What is the truth about minimum wage? Surely opinions differ and I will offer mine. A little historical perspective will be sprinkled in that will demonstrate our minimum wage laws did not develop in a vacuum.

The first problem with a minimum wage is the obvious intervention of government in the private lives of citizens. Every adult citizen has the right to contract with other adult citizens for mutual benefit. The contracts can be upheld by the courts as long as there is no force, fraud, criminal intent or other immoral or illegal action (we won’t argue illegal vs. immoral right now).

If a low skilled worker offers their labor, negotiating a wage with an employer, who is government to decide what that worker should be paid? Interventionists would argue that the low skilled worker may be taken advantage of by a more sophisticated employer, but is that really what is going on? Big Brother might demand that employers pay $15 per hour. The low-skilled worker only produces $6 per hour of value. Employing this worker with their limited skill set is not sustainable for the employer. The employer would, therefore, decline to hire this worker.

Sadly, this worker is motivated and knows that their skill set is limited. The worker lacks experience. The worker is eager to learn and willing to work hard in order to build skills and experience in anticipation of one day earning more. This teenage worker will be blocked by government do-goodism from working and gaining valuable skills and experience. All to “protect” this worker, of course, from evil companies.

Further, an economic disparity will result as this worker languishes and falls into apathy. The workers hurt most by minimum wage laws include minorities and already suffering low income, entry-level hopefuls. These laws are grounded in racism and suppression of minorities.

Walter E. Williams, the renowned African-American Economist wrote: “During South Africa’s apartheid era, the secretary of its avowedly racist Building Workers’ Union, Gert Beetge, said, “There is no job reservation left in the building industry, and in the circumstances, I support the rate for the job (minimum wage) as the second-best way of protecting our white artisans.” The South African Economic and Wage Commission of 1925 reported that “while definite exclusion of the Natives from the more remunerative fields of employment by law has not been urged upon us, the same result would follow a certain use of the powers of the Wage Board under the Wage Act of 1925, or of other wage-fixing legislation. The method would be to fix a minimum rate for an occupation or craft so high that no Native would be likely to be employed.” (source: lewrockwell.com)

I am against the minimum wage and in favor of its abolishment. The unintended (or historically intended) consequences of interference in the right of the employee to negotiate and contract for their own benefit become more apparent in light of historical and institutional racism. Allow free people to negotiate for themselves so that the control of their lives rests where it should: in their own hands.

SELF-OWNERSHIP:
Foundational in the Libertarian philosophy is that of self ownership. One is born with a bundle of natural rights, recognized by the Constitution of the United States as the right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Each individual has these as natural rights at birth. They are not granted by one’s parents, the government or any document. They are inherent to one’s existence as a human being. The first aspect of self-ownership is that of the physical body. We are each born with a physical body. It is incumbent upon each person to take care of their own physical body as best they see fit. If one does a good job of this, the likely reward is health and a long life. If not, disease and misery may result.

What right, if any, does another person have to control the body of another? I would submit that I have only the right to control my own body and never the right to control the body of another. Although I don’t smoke or drink you won’t find me demanding that you stop smoking or drinking. Similarly, I avoid all drugs – whether prescription or not – and prefer to find my health in fruits, vegetables, and herbs. I exercise sporadically and others exercise religiously. I admire them for their efforts and strive to emulate them. It is clearly a good idea to exercise but do those who exercise gain the right to tell me that I must follow them in their endeavors? Clearly not.

When people get together in a group and organize, they are often referred to as the “government.” In a sometimes misguided and other times brazen attempt to control others for profit or power, “government” will decree that some things are good and others bad. While making these declarations, the demand for certain behaviors to be emulated or eliminated is typically tied to a reward or punishment. Government often uses the carrot and stick to elicit outcomes. Whether the motivation of Government is good or ill is irrelevant.

History is replete with examples of the misery of unintended consequences. Take the so-called “Drug War.” According to news reports in 2012, over a trillion dollars had been spent up to that point on trying to prevent people from exercising their right to self-ownership. A group of people decided that other people should not be allowed to use drugs, should not be allowed to determine for themselves what substances they would put into their own bodies. Simultaneously, this same group called government creates mandates on other substances that must be put in the body. Lunacy.

If we could instead recognize the natural right of self-ownership, each person could make a cost versus benefit decision for themselves. The individual lives in the physical body and will suffer or enjoy the consequences of their individual decisions. A faraway group of people cannot effectively or efficiently make decisions for others. The basis of freedom is the freedom of the individual to act in his own self-interest – as long as his actions harm no one.

I own my physical body and I also own my mind. Mental self-ownership is clearly an important facet of freedom. The right to think one’s own thoughts, to hold an opinion or conclusion that is in opposition to the group – such is foundational to freedom. When the Constitution was created, amendments were added to necessarily reflect rights that by enumeration would be further accentuated.

Grab hold of the foundation of your freedom. Self ownership. Guard it, harm no one.

[71]

”
—Lucy Brenton’s campaign website (2018)[74]

Social media

Twitter accounts

Facebook accounts

Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.

Democratic Party Joe Donnelly Facebook

Republican Party Mike Braun Facebook

Libertarian Party Lucy Brenton Facebook

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Five of 92 Indiana counties—5 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Delaware County, Indiana 13.43% 3.12% 14.98%
LaPorte County, Indiana 6.33% 12.57% 22.04%
Perry County, Indiana 18.55% 11.59% 22.84%
Porter County, Indiana 6.59% 3.90% 7.20%
Vigo County, Indiana 14.97% 0.86% 15.83%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Indiana with 56.9 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 37.8 percent. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) was Trump's running mate. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Indiana voted Republican 83.33 percent of the time and Democratic 16.67 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Indiana voted Republican four times and Democratic once when it voted for Barack Obama in 2008.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Indiana. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[75][76]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 28 out of 100 state House districts in Indiana with an average margin of victory of 32.8 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 25 out of 100 state House districts in Indiana with an average margin of victory of 32.9 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 72 out of 100 state House districts in Indiana with an average margin of victory of 25.3 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 75 out of 100 state House districts in Indiana with an average margin of victory of 34.3 points. Trump won six districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

Election history

2016

See also: United States Senate election in Indiana, 2016
U.S. Senate, Indiana General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngTodd Young 52.1% 1,423,991
     Democratic Evan Bayh 42.4% 1,158,947
     Libertarian Lucy Brenton 5.5% 149,481
     N/A Write-in 0% 127
Total Votes 2,732,546
Source: Indiana Election Division

2012

See also: United States Senate elections in Indiana, 2012
U.S. Senate, Indiana General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJoe Donnelly 50% 1,281,181
     Republican Richard Mourdock 44.3% 1,133,621
     Libertarian Andy Horning 5.7% 145,282
     Independent James Johnson, Jr. 0% 15
     Independent Amy Willis 0% 3
Total Votes 2,560,102
Source: Indiana Secretary of State "United States Senate Election Results"

Wave election analysis

See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?

Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.

Applying this definition to U.S. Senate elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose seven seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.

The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 10 U.S. Senate waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.

U.S. Senate wave elections
Year President Party Election type Senate seats change Senate majority[77]
1932 Hoover R Presidential -13 D (flipped)
1958 Eisenhower R Second midterm -12 D
1946 Truman D First midterm -10 R (flipped)
1980 Carter D Presidential -9 R (flipped)
2014 Obama D Second midterm -9 R (flipped)
1942 Roosevelt D Third midterm -8 D
2008 George W. Bush D Presidential -8 D
1926 Coolidge R First midterm[78] -7 R
1930 Hoover R First midterm -7 R
1986 Reagan R Second midterm -7 D (flipped)

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Indiana heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

  • As of May 2018, Republicans held seven of 14 state executive positions, and seven positions were held by nonpartisan or independent officials.
  • The governor of Indiana was Republican Eric Holcomb.

State legislature

  • Republicans controlled both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly. They had a 70-30 majority in the state House and a 41-9 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

  • Indiana was a Republican trifecta, meaning the Republican Party held control of the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature.

2018 elections

See also: Indiana elections, 2018

Indiana held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Indiana
 IndianaU.S.
Total population:6,612,768316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):35,8263,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:84.2%73.6%
Black/African American:9.2%12.6%
Asian:1.9%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:6.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:87.8%86.7%
College graduation rate:24.1%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$49,255$53,889
Persons below poverty level:18.4%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Indiana.
**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.

As of July 2016, Indiana had a population of approximately 6,600,000 people, with its three largest cities being Indianapolis (pop. est. 856,000), Fort Wayne (pop. est. 265,000), and Evansville (pop. est. 119,000).[79][80] The chart on the right shows demographic information for Indiana from 2010 to 2015.

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Indiana from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Indiana Secretary of State.[81]

Historical elections

Presidential elections

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Indiana every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Indiana 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 56.8% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 37.9% 18.9%
2012 Republican Party Mitt Romney 54.1% Democratic Party Barack Obama 43.9% 10.2%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 50.0% Republican Party John McCain 48.9% 1.1%
2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 59.9% Democratic Party John Kerry 39.3% 20.6%
2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 56.7% Democratic Party Al Gore 41.0% 15.7%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Indiana from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Indiana 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Todd Young 52.1% Democratic Party Evan Bayh 42.4% 9.7%
2012 Democratic Party Joe Donnelly 50.0% Republican Party Richard Mourdock 44.3% 5.7%
2010 Republican Party Dan Coats 54.6% Democratic Party Brad Ellsworth 40.0% 14.6%
2006 Republican Party Richard Lugar 87.3% Libertarian Party Steve Osborn 12.6% 74.7%
2004 Democratic Party Evan Bayh 61.7% Republican Party Marvin Scott 37.2% 24.5%
2000 Republican Party Richard Lugar 66.5% Democratic Party David Johnson 31.9% 34.6%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Indiana.

Election results (Governor), Indiana 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Eric Holcomb 51.4% Democratic Party John R. Gregg 45.4% 6.0%
2012 Republican Party Mike Pence 50.0% Democratic Party John R. Gregg 46.6% 3.4%
2008 Republican Party Mitch Daniels 57.8% Democratic Party Jill Long Thompson 40.1% 17.7%
2004 Republican Party Mitch Daniels 53.2% Democratic Party Joe Kernan 45.5% 7.7%
2000 Democratic Party Frank O'Bannon 56.6% Republican Party David M. McIntosh 41.7% 14.9%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Indiana in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Indiana 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 7 77.8% Democratic Party 2 22.2% R+5
2014 Republican Party 7 77.8% Democratic Party 2 22.2% R+5
2012 Republican Party 6 66.7% Democratic Party 3 33.3% R+3
2010 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2008 Republican Party 4 44.4% Democratic Party 5 55.6% D+1
2006 Republican Party 7 77.8% Democratic Party 2 22.2% R+5
2004 Republican Party 6 66.7% Democratic Party 3 33.3% R+3
2002 Republican Party 6 66.7% Democratic Party 3 33.3% R+3
2000 Republican Party 6 66.7% Democratic Party 3 33.3% R+3

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Indiana Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas  •  Seventeen 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 25
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 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 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 R


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "DONNELLY, Joe, (1955 - )," accessed February 13, 2015
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 YouTube, "Joe for Indiana," accessed September 11, 2018
  3. ↑ Joe Donnelly for Senate, "Home," accessed September 11, 2018
  4. ↑ Mike Braun for Senate, "About," accessed September 11, 2018
  5. ↑ Mike Braun for Indiana, "Home," accessed September 11, 2018
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 YouTube, "Mike Braun for Indiana," accessed September 11, 2018
  7. ↑ Lucy Brenton for Senate, "Who is Lucy?" accessed September 11, 2018
  8. ↑ Lucy Brenton for Senate, "Issues," accessed September 11, 2018
  9. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  10. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  11. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Politico, "Pompeo thanks Saudi king as GOP senators sound alarms," October 16, 2018
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Axios, "The midwestern Senate race getting a $2 million boost from Trump's allies," September 26, 2018
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Twitter, "Kevin Robillard," March 14, 2018
  15. ↑ Roll Call, "Conservative Group Targets McCaskill, Donnelly on Tax Vote," February 13, 2018
  16. ↑ Credit Union National Association, "CUNA launches first round of IEs for 2018 midterms," October 17, 2018
  17. ↑ Indianapolis Star, "Mike Pence attacks Joe Donnelly, praises Mike Braun in forthcoming Senate campaign ad," September 7, 2018
  18. ↑ One Nation, "One Nation Launches Tax Reform Push in Indiana," accessed July 12, 2018
  19. ↑ National Journal, "Hotline's Wakeup Call," October 2, 2018
  20. ↑ USA Today, "McConnell-aligned PAC unleashes $6.4 million ad blitz to protect Senate majority," September 11, 2018
  21. ↑ Politico, "Breaking down the Arizona Senate race," July 3, 2018
  22. ↑ Washington Examiner, "Mitch McConnell's super PAC targets Joe Donnelly in Indiana," February 6, 2018
  23. ↑ NBC News, "Democrats dropping $21 million on Senate digital ads largely targeting health care," September 12, 2018
  24. ↑ Daily Kos, "Morning Digest: Georgia Republican calls primary rival's use of a damaging secret recording 'evil'," July 16, 2018
  25. ↑ Senate Majority PAC, "SMP Launches Ad Campaign in Missouri and Indiana to Combat the Koch Brothers’ War Against Middle-class Families," February 15, 2018
  26. ↑ Politico, "Morning Score," March 16, 2018
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Indianapolis Star, "Indiana Senate race: US chamber gets involved while state chamber remains neutral," September 25, 2018
  28. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  29. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  30. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  31. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Twitter, "Dan Merica on October 4, 2018"
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Politico, "Trump tries to close out tight Senate races," November 1, 2018
  34. ↑ Joe Donnelly for Senate, "Joe Donnelly lands endorsement from the National Association of Realtors," accessed October 4, 2018
  35. ↑ People's Pundit Daily, "NFIB Endorses Mike Braun for U.S. Senate in Indiana," September 7, 2018
  36. ↑ TriState Homepage, "Indiana FOP endorses Sen. Donnelly in campaign for re-election," September 10, 2018
  37. ↑ Politico, "Trump officials irked that Border Patrol union endorsed 3 Senate Democrats," October 26, 2018
  38. ↑ Roll Call, "Susan Brooks Chooses Sides in Indiana Senate Primary," September 20, 2017
  39. ↑ Twitter, "Todd Rokita," March 23, 2018
  40. ↑ Twitter, "Todd Rokita," March 13, 2018
  41. ↑ Luke Messer, "Messer Gains Endorsement from Southwest Indiana State Rep," March 8, 2018
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 42.4 42.5 Faceobok, "Mike Braun for Indiana, February 8, 2018
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Luke Messer, "Allen County State Legislators Endorse Luke Messer," January 5, 2018
  44. ↑ Luke Messer, "Luke Messer Receives Tidal Wave of Support from Hamilton County Leaders," December 7, 2017
  45. ↑ The Indy Channel, "Indiana State Senate President Pro Tempore David Long endorses Luke Messer for U.S. Senate," August 10, 2017
  46. ↑ Howey Politics, "Rokita announces with Delph support," August 10, 2017
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 The Journal Gazette, "GOP frets about prospects for picking up Indiana Senate seat," September 19, 2018
  48. ↑ Axios, "Inside Trump's last-minute road trip," October 28, 2018
  49. ↑ ProPublica, "Receipts by Mike Braun For Indiana for Filing 1285431," accessed October 29, 2018
  50. ↑ Politico, "The Q3 fundraising toplines," October 16, 2018
  51. ↑ The Hill, "Donnelly to vote 'no' on Kavanaugh," September 28, 2018
  52. ↑ Ipsos, "Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in conjunction with the University of Virginia Center for Politics," September 26, 2018
  53. ↑ Twitter, "Daily Kos Elections," September 24, 2018
  54. ↑ U.S. News & World Report, "Trump to Hold Rally in Evansville Next Week, Support Braun," August 22, 2018
  55. ↑ National Journal, "Hotline's Wake-Up Call!" accessed June 4, 2018
  56. ↑ IndyStar, "Senate race 2018: Democratic group attacks Braun days after GOP group goes after Donnelly," May 16, 2018
  57. ↑ The Hill, "Dem super PAC launches ad defending Donnelly on taxes," March 16, 2018
  58. ↑ WIBC, "Indiana Senate Showdown: Donnelly vs. Braun on Trade," September 10, 2018
  59. ↑ Politico, "Key red-state Democrat sides with Trump on wall funding," August 8, 2018
  60. ↑ Mike Braun for Indiana, "Issues," accessed August 13, 2018
  61. ↑ Washington Examiner, "Republican activists applaud Mike Braun for pre-existing conditions pledge," August 7, 2018
  62. ↑ Joe Donnelly, United States Senator for Indiana," July 19, 2018
  63. ↑ Indianapolis Star, "Indiana Senate race: Democrats send mailer praising Senate candidate from another party," October 29, 2018
  64. ↑ New York Times, "Kavanaugh Is Sworn In After Close Confirmation Vote in Senate Video," October 6, 2018
  65. ↑ The Hill, "Donnelly to vote 'no' on Kavanaugh," September 28, 2018
  66. ↑ Breitbart, "Mike Braun: Joe Donnelly Made ‘Grave Mistake’ Opposing Brett Kavanaugh," September 28, 2018
  67. ↑ IndyStar, "Sen. Joe Donnelly selling stock after AP ties company to Mexican labor," July 14, 2017
  68. ↑ Associated Press, "Indiana candidate’s rhetoric, business record don’t line up," May 2, 2018
  69. ↑ Associated Press, "APNewsBreak: Outsourcing critic’s brand sells foreign parts," August 10, 2018
  70. ↑ Indianapolis Star, "5 things to watch in final Indiana Senate debate," October 30, 2018
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 71.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  72. ↑ Joe Donnelly for Senate, “Issues,” accessed September 11, 2018
  73. ↑ Mike Braun for Senate, “Issues,” accessed September 11, 2018
  74. ↑ Lucy Brenton for Senate, “Issues,” accessed September 11, 2018
  75. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  76. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  77. ↑ Denotes the party that had more seats in the U.S. House following the election.
  78. ↑ Calvin Coolidge's (R) first term began in August 1923 after the death of President Warren Harding (R), who was first elected in 1920. Before he had his first midterm in 1926, Coolidge was re-elected as president in 1924.
  79. ↑ Indiana Demographics, "Indiana Cities by Population," accessed January 9, 2018
  80. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Indiana," accessed January 9, 2018
  81. ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Election Results," accessed September 5, 2018
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Indiana's current delegation to the United States Congress
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Jim Banks (R)
Todd Young (R)
Representatives
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District 2
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Jim Baird (R)
District 5
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