Ford ousts Spartz in Indiana's 5th Congressional District race – WFYI

Ford ousts Spartz in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District race  WFYI

In a surprising upset, Indiana voters in the 5th Congressional District elected Democratic State Sen. J.D. Ford to the office, ousting three-time incumbent Republican Victoria Spartz. In a surprising upset, Indiana voters in the 5th Congressional District elected Democratic State Sen. J.D. Ford to the office, ousting three-time incumbent Republican Victoria Spartz, according to CNN. Ford managed to win a seat that was redrawn by the state GOP in 2021 to make it less competitive and more solidly Republican. A Republican has held the office since Steve Buyer won election in 1992. The win also follows the failed effort by state Republican lawmakers to redraw congressional districts to favor the GOP after President Donald Trump demanded the change.

Trump wanted to ensure Republicans maintained majorities in the midterms. Spartz supported mid-cycle redistricting. Ford, a state senator at the time, voted against it. Ford and Spartz sparred over each others' records in the months leading up to the election. A nonpartisan poll in late October found Ford was within the margin of error, but still in Spartz's favor. Ford, Indiana's first openly gay state lawmaker, has represented Senate District 29, northwest of Indianapolis, since 2018. He has a master's degree in education and wants to focus on healthcare policy, including childcare, elderly care and mental health care. He said cost of