Indiana House
Filing Deadline: Feb. 22, 2008 • Primary Date: May 6, 2008 • General Election: Nov. 4, 2008District Profile: This remains the most Democratic district in Republican Indiana, as it has been since the United Steelworkers' organizing drives of the late 1930s. Full Profile
2006 results: Peter Visclosky (D) defeated Mark Leyva (R) by 70-27%.
Incumbent
Peter Visclosky (D)
Elected in 1984; Seeking thirteenth term; Visclosky was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
Mark Leyva (R)Levya, a carpenter, was nominated with 36% in a five-way primary.
District Profile: This is an industrial and ethnic city, with one of the nation's largest percentages of Hungarian-Americans and a growing community of Mexicans. Full Profile
2006 results: Joe Donnelly (D) defeated Chris Chocola (R) by 54-46%.
Incumbent
Joe Donnelly (D)
Elected in 2006; Seeking second term; Donnelly was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
Luke Puckett (R)Puckett, a businessman, was nominated with 48% in a three-way primary.
District Profile: The seat was recently occupied by Dan Quayle, who was elected in the 3rd District in 1976 and then went on to be senator and vice president. Full Profile
2006 results: Mark Souder (R) defeated Thomas Hayhurst (D) by 54-46%.
Incumbent
Mark Souder (R)
Elected in 1994; Seeking eighth term; Souder was nominated with 77% in a two-way primary.
Challenger
Michael Montagano (D)Montagano, an attorney, was unopposed in the primary.
District Profile: The largest city is Lafayette, where the main business is Purdue University, Indiana's land-grant college. Full Profile
2006 results: Steve Buyer (R) defeated David Sanders (D) by 62-38%.
Incumbent
Steve Buyer (R)
Elected in 1992; Seeking ninth term; Buyer was nominated with 72% in a three-way primary.
District Profile: The 5th District includes Hamilton County and other prosperous parts of metropolitan Indianapolis, the northern fringes of the city itself. Full Profile
2006 results: Dan Burton (R) defeated Katherine Carr (D) by 65-31%.
Incumbent
Dan Burton (R)
Elected in 1982; Seeking fourteenth term; Burton was nominated with 52% in a three-way primary.
Challenger
Mary Etta Ruley (D)Ruley, a former congressional aide, was nominated with 47% in a three-way primary.
District Profile: The 6th District includes Muncie and Anderson, with their big GM factories, and Richmond, which was founded by a major branch of American Quakers. Full Profile
2006 results: Mike Pence (R) defeated Barry Welsh (D) by 60-40%.
Incumbent
Mike Pence (R)
Elected in 2000; Seeking fifth term; Pence was unopposed in the primary.
District Profile: The 7th District leans Democratic, and it gave Bill Clinton, Al Gore and John Kerry solid margins. Full Profile
2006 results: Julia Carson (D) defeated Eric Dickerson (R) by 54-46%.
Special election: Carson died on Dec. 15, 2007, and a special election for the remainder of her term was held on March 11, 2008, with her grandson Andre Carson, an Indianapolis city councilman, winning with 54% of the vote. See the special election tip sheet.
Incumbent
André Carson (D)
Elected in 2008; Seeking first full term; Carson was nominated with 46% in an eight-way primary.
Challengers
Jon Elrod (R)Elrod, a state representative, was nominated with 85% in a three-way primary.
District Profile: The district has been called the "Bloody Eighth" for its tight congressional races. At one point in the 1970s, it elected four different congressmen in four successive elections. Full Profile
2006 results: Brad Ellsworth (D) defeated John Hostettler (R) by 61-39%.
Incumbent
Brad Ellsworth (D)
Elected in 2006; Seeking second term; Ellsworth was unopposed in the primary.
District Profile: Most of the district is ancestrally Democratic and culturally conservative; much of it has recently been trending Republican, particularly in the suburbs of Cincinnati. Full Profile
2006 results: Baron Hill (D) defeated Mike Sodrel (R) by 50-45%.
Incumbent
Baron Hill (D)
Elected in 1998 and 2006; Seeking fifth term; Hill was nominated with 68% in a four-way primary.
Challengers
Mike Sodrel (R)Sodrel, the district's former representative, was unopposed in the primary.
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Race Rankings
Based on likelihood of seat switching party control
1.
N.Y.-13
(Open-R)2.
N.Y.-25
(Open-R)3.
Ariz.-01
(Open-R)4.
Va.-11
(Open-R)5.
Fla.-16
(Mahoney-D)6.
Ill.-11
(Open-R)7.
Ohio-16
(Open-R)8.
Texas-22
(Lampson-D)9.
Alaska-AL
(Young-R)10.
Fla.-24
(Feeney-R)11.
N.J.-03
(Open-R)12.
Colo.-04
(Musgrave-R)13.
Mich.-09
(Knollenberg-R)14.
N.J.-07
(Open-R)15.
Minn.-06
(Bachmann-R)Previous Coverage
Check out National Journal's coverage of previous Indiana house races.
