Indiana Primaries: Republicans Select Donnelly Challenger and More
May 8, 2018 · 10:24 PM EDT
Senate. Joe Donnelly (D) elected 2012 (50%). Former state Rep. Mike Braun defeated Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita for the GOP nomination and the right to face the incumbent Democrat. Messer and Rokita were regarded as the initial frontrunners because they were better-known in Washington and in their respective congressional districts. But Braun effectively ran as the outsider against two politicians,using considerable personal money. Now Braun will face Donnelly in one of the most competitive Senate races in the country. Before the primary, Democrats believed they had effective hits against any of the three Republicans, and attacks on Braun’s business record have already started to emerge. Rating: Toss-Up.
2nd District (Jackie Walorski, R, re-elected 59%). Trump 59%. The congresswoman was renominated with nearly 80 percent and will face Democrat Mel Hall in the general election. The health care executive won his primary with less than 50 percent against multiple candidates (with 90 percent of precincts reporting). This race could develop into a GOP headache. Rating: Solid R.
4th District (Open; Todd Rokita, R, ran for Senate). Trump 64%. State Rep. Jim Baird won the GOP nomination and is the prohibitive favorite to win the general election. He defeated former state Workforce Development Commissioner/former state Rep. Steve Braun (the Senate candidate’s brother) and Diego Morales, a former aide to then-Gov. Mike Pence. Rating: Solid R.
6th District (Open; Luke Messer, R, ran for Senate). Trump 68%. Businessman Mike Pence, the Vice President’s brother, won the GOP primary with 65 percent and is the prohibitive favorite in the general election against newspaper publisher Jeannine Lee Lake. Rating: Solid R.
9th District (Trey Hollingsworth, R, elected 54%). Trump 61%. Two years after transplanting from Tennessee and winning a competitive primary, Hollingsworth was renominated with more than 75 percent of the vote. He’ll face Democratic attorney/former Committee on Education and the Workforce aide Liz Watson, who won her primary over civil rights attorney/Bernie Sanders supporter Dan Canon. Rating: Solid R.