Ukraine-born House member who opposed aiding her native country defends her seat in Indiana primary

Several competitory and costly superior races volition beryllium decided Tuesday successful Indiana's election

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Ukrainian-born congresswoman who precocious opposed sending assistance to her war-torn state is defending her spot Tuesday against a chap Republican who has outpaced her successful spending and fundraising.

U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz is the archetypal and lone Ukrainian-born House subordinate and antecedently backed enactment for the country. But up of her superior contest, she reversed her presumption and voted against sending $61 cardinal successful assistance to Ukraine. She defended the switch, arguing her loyalty is to America archetypal and that she wanted to spot argumentation connected the U.S.-Mexico borderline included successful the assistance package, a presumption mostly shared by her Republican challengers.

The election successful the bluish suburbs of Indianapolis volition find whether Spartz's maneuvers volition wage off. More broadly, the contention is simply a barometer of whether enactment for Ukraine is simply a almighty contented among GOP voters. The contented has go an progressively divisive taxable among Republicans successful Washington, wherever galore are pressing for a drawdown successful aid.

If she's defeated, Spartz would beryllium the archetypal House Republican to suffer a superior this twelvemonth successful a contention that wasn't affected by redistricting.

The superior marks the latest twist successful Spartz's governmental career. She won a choky superior contention successful 2020 and wasn't challenged for the GOP information successful 2022. She initially planned to permission Congress past year, opting against reelection to her House spot and forgoing a accidental to question the Senate spot being vacated by Republican Mike Braun.

She aboriginal reversed course, deciding to question different word successful the House. But her shifting plans gave an opening to authorities Rep. Chuck Goodrich to outraise Spartz by millions of dollars and go her main rival successful the primary.

Statewide, presumptive statesmanlike nominees erstwhile President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden question to heap up much delegates heading to their respective enactment conventions aboriginal this summer. Trump took Indiana by 16 points successful 2020. The lone question connected the GOP broadside is however galore votes volition spell to erstwhile South Carolina politician and U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, who is inactive connected the superior ballot aft dropping retired of the contention successful March.

Indiana voters bash not person the enactment to ballot “ uncommitted." The protest-vote question successful immoderate states against Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas warfare has formed uncertainty connected the president's Democratic enactment successful November.

The astir watched and costly contention wrong the authorities is the six-way contention to regenerate term-limited Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb. Braun is considered the race’s front-runner, bolstered by respective advantages: sanction recognition, wealth and Trump’s endorsement. He spent much than $6 cardinal successful the archetypal 3 months of 2024 alone.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch has campaigned to slash the state’s income tax. Also moving are 2 erstwhile commerce secretaries, Brad Chambers — who has contributed $10 cardinal to his run — and Eric Doden.

Once seen arsenic a probable Hoosier State governor, erstwhile Attorney General Curtis Hill has struggled to compete. Political novice Jamie Reitenour is besides connected the ballot.

The Democratic gubernatorial campaigner Jennifer McCormick is uncontested.