Indiana 5th District
Victoria Spartz (R) holds this seat and is running again. 2 candidates were on the ballot on November 3, 2026.
Who should win this race, and why?Say what you think. Other readers can answer you.Discuss
Victoria Spartz
Republican · holds this seat today
ALiberty Score AOn the liberty side in 112 of 118 votes and bills.
Raised $2,192,717 since January 2025: 63% from people, 22% the candidate’s own money, 10% from PACs and other committees. The filing at FEC.gov
J. D. Ford
Democrat · state senator, first openly gay Indiana legislator
CLiberty Score C73 out of 100 across 4 principles. Graded on what Ford has said and done, because I have no votes in Congress to count for Ford.
Raised $1,410,737 since January 2025: 91% from people, 8% from PACs and other committees, 1% transfers and other income. The filing at FEC.gov
Higher on Liberty Score: Victoria Spartz. Victoria Spartz: A, 95 out of 100 from recorded votes. J. D. Ford: C, 73 out of 100 from words and actions, with no votes in Congress to count.
Voting in Indiana: how to register, vote early or vote by mail. Election Day was November 3.
Side by side
A solid letter is a grade from recorded votes on that principle. An outlined letter is on the same scale, for a candidate with no votes: it comes from what that candidate has said and done, and every source is listed below.
J. D. Ford, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Ford, so the grade above comes from this list: what Ford has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
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Ford said he would have voted against the war with the Islamic Republic, and criticised his opponent for voting no on resolutions to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran.
“So, I would have voted against that war and listened to the people of the 5th District.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
His words say 'that war' without naming Iran or a policy, bill or vote, so they do not settle the measure (BRIEF rule 3).
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In a statement on the Iran strikes he calls the regime in Iran brutal and repressive and says it has terrorised its own people for 47 years.
“The Iranian regime and its proxies are brutal and repressive forces that have spent 47 years terrorizing its own people and spilling American blood.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Speaking against the Iranian rulers for what they do to their own people is the with side of the Iran people measure.
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His platform page says he will protect the rights to free speech, assembly and a free press, and names no censorship policy.
“Protect our right to free speech, our right to assemble, and the right to a free press to ensure no matter what you believe, you are free and safe to say it.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
He names no censorship or platform policy to oppose or support, so it does not settle the measure.
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Said he wants to take on the President's tariff policies, which he said left farmers with harvests they cannot sell.
“We gotta take on the president's chaotic and erratic tariff policies that have left our farmers with silos of harvests that they can't sell.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
The measure counts opposing broad tariffs as with liberty.
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Said that as a state senator he voted for an amendment, which failed, to end the 7% state sales tax on utility bills.
“I actually voted [for an amendment that failed] to end the 7% sales tax [on utility bills]”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
The measure counts a named tax cut as with liberty.
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As the senior Democrat on the Senate education committee, said he was disappointed that it passed a bill barring transgender girls from girls' teams, and that he had offered to leave decisions to the athletic association case by case.
“I offered reasonable amendments to send this bill to a summer study committee and to simply allow the IHSAA to continue to make case-by-case decisions.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
The measure counts opposing a law that keeps girls' sport female as against liberty.
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Said the immigration system needs a path to citizenship, reached through the immigration courts.
“We need to make sure that there's a path to citizenship, and how we do that is look at the courts.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
The measure counts a path to citizenship as against liberty.
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Said enforcement is needed to remove people he called hardened criminals from the country.
“we need the enforcement to get the hardened criminals out of our country”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
The measure counts enforcing the law and deporting those who break it as with liberty.
Who is on the ballot: the state election offices, as listed on Wikipedia on November 3, 2026, checked against the candidate file of the Federal Election Commission. See a name that is wrong or missing? Say so in the discussion.
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Indiana 5th District
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