Rep. Spartz, 44, surprised Hoosiers this week with the announcement she would not seek re-election in 2024. The young congresswoman easily won re-election in November but said she was done with politics and ruled out a U.S. Senate run for an open seat.
Micah Clark, of the American Family Association of Indiana, lives in the 5th District. He says Spartz’s announcement is “shocking” people across the state. The congresswoman, a former state lawmaker, was recognized as the only Ukrainian-born member in Congress.
“Many people weren't sure whether or not she would run for Senate with Congressman [Jim] Banks being in the race,” he observes, “but the announcement that she wouldn't run at all in 2024, for her House seat again, has shocked a lot of people.”
Clark says the surprise announcement also means The Hoosier State now has two open seats, in the House and in the Senate, that Republican candidates will be competing for.
AFN has reported that Rep. Jim Banks, 43, has announced he is running for the Senate seat that is being vacated by Mike Braun.
As far as the 5th District, Clark says much of it covers the suburbs of Indianapolis. So he is concerned a “RINO” Republican could squeeze out a slim victory if several conservative candidates enter the GOP primary and split the votes.
“I just hope,” he says, “that we can get someone as strong as she was on social issues and issues that concern the families."
