Indiana Republican Rep. Jim Banks won unopposed in the state’s GOP Senate primary Tuesday as he prepares to win a promotion to statewide office this fall.
Banks has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump and a number of his Senate Republican peers after GOP Sen. Mike Brown announced he would run for governor rather than seek re-election.
Banks was in the middle of a primary against wealthy businessman John Rust. But because of Rust, it was voted out his party affiliation, leaving Banks unopposed in the primary election. In a state that hasn’t elected a Democratic senator in more than a decade, whichever Democrat wins his party’s primary, former state Rep. Mark Carmichael or psychologist Dr. Will face Valerie McCray. Brown, meanwhile, has an early lead in the expensive, multi-party GOP gubernatorial primary. Incumbent Governor Eric Holcomb is term-limited and cannot run for re-election.
Competitive GOP primaries are underway for House districts across the state, including a challenge to Rep. Victoria Sparts in the Indianapolis area and another pair of districts where former members of Congress are seeking comebacks.