Corrections and clarifications: This guide was updated to add a candidate from the 5th Congressional District that was missing from a previous version.
Congressional elections in Indiana aren’t always competitive, which sometimes means the primary election is the more consequential contest — and those candidates will have mere weeks to earn Hoosiers’ votes.
Whether you live miles from Chicago or a stone’s throw from Indiana’s southern border, the Hoosiers of all stripes will have the chance to influence who becomes their next representatives in Congress on May 5.
Here’s your guide to who’s running to represent you.
What district do I live in?
You can check which district you live in here.
1st Congressional District
Where it is: Northwest Indiana, including Lake, Porter and part of LaPorte counties.
What we’re watching: This is one of Indiana’s most competitive districts, particularly for Republicans. For years, the GOP has methodically chipped away at this Democratic stronghold and hopes to flip it in 2026. That effort could have been made easier if legislators approved gerrymandered maps as part of President Donald Trump’s mid-decade redistricting effort — one early GOP contender, former state official Jennifer-Ruth Green, cited it as her reason for dropping out of the race. Green then used funds from her short-lived campaign to pay legal fees in connection with a state ethics violation. Without the boost from a new map, a key question in the Republican primary will center on which candidates can best appeal to the district’s diverse, working-class population.
Democrats:
Republicans:
2nd Congressional District
Where it is: Northern Indiana, from Elkhart County down to Miami County.
What we’re watching: Like in most Indiana congressional districts, Democrats face an uphill battle in the 2nd Congressional District. Still, Democrats have a choice at the ballot box during the May primary, which hasn’t been the case since 2020. Jamee Decio has a law background and comes from a prominent family in the area. Teacher Shaun Maeyens has tried a slightly different tack: emphasizing, like many other candidates across the country frustrated with U.S. institutions, that he’s not “a career politician.”
Democrats:
Republicans:
3rd Congressional District
Where it is: Northeast Indiana, from Steuben County down to Jay County
What we’re watching: U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman faced an unusually close primary in reclaiming his congressional seat in 2024, so it’s not unthinkable that GOP challenger Jon Kenworthy could give his campaign trouble. Kenworthy, an Iraq war veteran, has been vocal on some of the GOP’s sore spots, including opposing the war in Iran and calling for more transparency regarding the financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But there are several factors in Stutzman’s favor this time around, including incumbency and a far less crowded primary.
Democrats:
Republicans:
4th Congressional District
Where it is: Western Indiana, from Jasper County down to Morgan County. It includes Boone and Hendricks counties.
What we’re watching: The GOP primary in this deeply red district is shaping up to be hotly contested. State Rep. Craig Haggard, R-Mooresville, hasn’t shied away from criticizing incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Baird. It helps that Haggard is politically well-connected, both as a state lawmaker and a board member for the National Rifle Association. Whoever wins will face the victor of a jam-packed Democratic contest.
Democrats:
Republicans:
5th Congressional District
Where it is: Central Indiana north of Marion County, from Hamilton County to Grant County.
What we’re watching: Democrats have eyed the 5th Congressional District for its purplish suburbs, though they haven’t come close to flipping it since they came just 4% shy of winning it in 2020. Subsequent redistricting has made the political math tougher, but Democrats appear hopeful that the double-digit political swings happening in other districts could be replicated here. But which candidate is best suited to ride such a “blue wave?” Spartz faces a challenger, too, but she already proved she can handle even the most well-funded Republican challengers during the last election cycle.
Democrats:
Republicans:
6th Congressional District
Where it is: Central and eastern Indiana, from Johnson County to Wayne County, including the southern portion of Marion County.
What we’re watching: In an era of an increasingly divided GOP, U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve’s primary challenge could act as a bellwether for the party’s broader direction. A self-described “moderate Republican,” Shreve’s caught flak from the right for suggesting gun control policies in his run for Indianapolis mayor. Despite the criticism, Shreve has voted with Trump’s official stances 100% of the time, according to an analysis between January 2025 and September 2025. His opponent, meanwhile, has aligned herself with some of the newer parts of the Republican Party, such as the “Make America Healthy Again” movement.
Democrats:
Republicans:
7th Congressional District
Where it is: Marion County
What we’re watching: Encompassing Indiana’s capital city and the bluest district in the state, the 7th Congressional District hasn’t seen a seriously competitive primary in more than a decade. The seat has been held by current U.S. Rep. André Carson, and before that his grandmother Julia Carson, since it was redrawn to cover Marion County in 2003. But Carson’s challengers are increasingly calling for change, arguing Carson has failed to maximize the city’s potential — and one has a serious pile of campaign cash.
Democrats:
Republicans:
8th Congressional District
Where it is: Southwest Indiana, from Fountain County to the border.
What we’re watching: Known by some as the “Bloody Eighth” during the 20th century, this former swing district has rejected Democrats since Brad Ellsworth lost the seat to Republican Larry Buschon in 2010’s “red wave.” It’s now the reddest district in Indiana, with an R+18 rating from the Cook Political Report.
Democrats:
Republicans:
9th Congressional District
Where it is: Southeast Indiana, from Monroe County to the border.
What we’re watching: Home to Indiana University Bloomington — a notoriously blue speck in an otherwise Republican district — Indiana’s 9th Congressional District likely won’t be in reach for Democrats this year. But in a year where the minority party (this time, Democrats) typically gets a boost, political shifts in this solid district could reflect voters’ broader feelings about the country’s direction.
Democrats:
Republicans:
Contact breaking politics reporter Marissa Meador at mmeador@indystar.com or find her on X at @marissa_meador.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Voter guide: Meet the Hoosiers running for Congress in 2026
Reporting by Marissa Meador, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
