Democratic state Sen. J.D. Ford declared victory Tuesday night in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, saying he had unseated Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz. Spartz had not publicly conceded as of late Tuesday. The Associated Press had not called the race, and votes were still being counted.
With 93.4% of votes counted at 9:56 p.m., Ford led with 131,773 votes over Spartz’ 123,321, according to WRTV. Decision Desk HQ called the race for Ford at 8:28 p.m., LGBTQ+ news outlet Out reported.
If the lead holds, it would be a major political shift in a district that includes Fishers and most of Hamilton County. The last Democrat to represent the 5th District, which then covered Hamilton County and surrounding northern Indianapolis suburbs, was Jim Jontz, who served in the U.S. House from 1987 to 1993. Donald Trump carried the district by 17 points in 2024.
Ford would become the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from Indiana. He has represented Indiana Senate District 29 since 2018, when he became the first openly gay member of the Indiana General Assembly.
“Tonight, Hoosiers made history, and they sent a message that will be heard far beyond Indiana’s 5th District,” Ford said in a statement. “This victory belongs to every person who has felt ignored by Washington, every family struggling to make ends meet and every voter who refused to believe that change was impossible.”
Ford ran on lowering everyday costs, protecting access to affordable health care and restoring accountability in Washington.
“Hoosiers are working harder, paying more and getting less in return,” Ford said. “I’m going to Congress to fight corruption, stand up to corporate interests and make sure the decisions being made in Washington put people and their families first.”
Spartz was first elected in 2020 and was seeking her fourth consecutive term. She campaigned on reducing federal spending and debt and on changing immigration policies. Born in Ukraine, she is the first Ukrainian-born person to serve in Congress.
The race tightened during the fall. Last week, the Cook Political Report moved the district from “Likely R” to “Lean R,” after rating it “Solid R” earlier this year.
“Tonight, voters proved that no seat belongs to a political party. It belongs to the people,” Ford said. “Whether you voted for me or not, I will fight for you.”
Besides Fishers, the district’s cities include Carmel, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville, Anderson, Muncie, Kokomo and Marion.
LarryInFishers.com will update this story as results become final and if Spartz comments.