Hoosier Democrat J.D. Ford declared victory in a major political upset Tuesday night, unseating three-term Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District and flipping a seat the GOP had held for years.
Ford, a two-term state senator from Indianapolis, defeated Spartz in a closely watched contest that became one of Indiana’s most competitive congressional races as Democrats sought to gain ground in the U.S. House.
With 93% of votes counted as of 10:15 p.m., Ford had received 51.6% of the vote to Spartz’s 48.4%, according to the Associated Press. Nearly 255,000 votes had been tallied at that point.
The victory marks a notable political shift in a district that stretches from Indianapolis’ northern suburbs into north-central Indiana, including Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Anderson, Muncie and Marion.
It also ends Spartz’s six-year tenure in Congress and sends Ford, Indiana’s first openly gay state legislator, to Washington after eight years in the Indiana Senate.
“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. Hoosiers are demanding leaders who put people ahead of powerful interests and deliver results that make their lives better. I’m truly honored that Hoosiers have trusted me to be the person who fights for that change, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”
Spartz won reelection two years ago by more than 18 percentage points, and she carried the district by an even wider margin in her race before that. Her first congressional victory, in 2020, was much narrower, before Republican lawmakers redrew Indiana’s congressional boundaries the following year.
Ford’s win gives Democrats a pickup in Indiana as both parties compete for control of the U.S. House.
A competitive race in Republican territory
Ford’s challenge to Spartz drew growing attention from national Democrats in the months leading up to Election Day.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Indiana’s 5th District to its list of competitive races in August, targeting a seat that had become more reliably Republican after the 2021 redistricting process.
An internal poll commissioned by Ford’s campaign over the summer showed Spartz leading 48% to 46%, within the survey’s margin of error. A separate poll released in October by House Majority PAC, a Democratic-aligned super PAC, put a generic Republican candidate at 48% and a Democrat at 47%.
The race also drew increased scrutiny from national election analysts.
Just days before the election, the Cook Political Report moved the contest from “Likely Republican” to “Leans Republican,” as the race grew more competitive.
Spartz acknowledged the political challenges ahead of the election.
In an October interview with State Affairs, the congresswoman described an “extremely difficult political environment,” pointing to economic concerns, population changes in the district and the possibility of lower Republican turnout in a midterm election.
“So the political environment is challenging, and we are not taking this election for granted,” Spartz said.
Ford’s victory adds to recent Democratic gains in Hamilton County and the surrounding Indianapolis suburbs, where Republicans have traditionally been dominant.
Competing messages on costs and accountability
Ford, who was first elected to the Indiana Senate in 2018 after defeating Republican incumbent Mike Delph, built his congressional campaign around household affordability, healthcare and government accountability.
He criticized President Donald Trump’s tariffs and their effects on Indiana families, farmers and businesses, while promising to challenge federal policies he said were driving up everyday expenses.
“All across the 5th district, I hear families talk about the high cost of groceries, utilities and gas,” Ford said in a statement to State Affairs before the election. “I will always listen to what matters to the people of the 5th district, and I will always fight to make life more affordable.”
His campaign also called for protecting Medicaid funding, preserving rural hospitals and lowering prescription drug costs.
On housing, Ford proposed restricting purchases by large corporations and international investors. He also supported requiring data centers to cover their own utility and water costs rather than shifting those expenses onto existing customers.
The Democratic challenger pledged to hold regular town halls and strengthen congressional oversight of federal agencies.
Spartz, meanwhile, campaigned on her record of seeking federal spending reductions, healthcare changes and a more accountable federal government.
The Ukrainian-born congresswoman, a certified public accountant and former Indiana state senator, argued that another term would allow her to continue work on federal budget reforms and reducing the national debt.
“I want to finish major reforms I have started, particularly fixing healthcare, addressing our unsustainable national debt and overhauling Congress’s broken budget process,” Spartz said in October.
She also advocated stronger border enforcement, changes to legal immigration and expanded healthcare price transparency.
The campaign grew increasingly contentious in its final weeks, with the candidates trading accusations over Spartz’s family stock transactions, campaign advertising and their respective records.
Ford questioned Spartz’s financial disclosures and transactions involving her famil. Spartz disputed the allegations and accused her opponent of misleading voters.
The candidates also clashed over the terms of a potential debate. Ford called for a public event before constituents and Spartz proposed a televised discussion focused on policy.
From the Indiana Senate to Congress
Ford’s victory follows two terms in the Indiana Senate, where he has represented District 29 since 2018.
His first election was itself a notable upset. Ford defeated longtime Republican state Sen. Mike Delph, becoming the first openly gay member of the Indiana General Assembly.
He won reelection in 2022 with 51.7% of the vote.
In the legislature, Ford has been a prominent Democratic voice on LGBTQ+ rights, education, healthcare and government accountability.
His election to Congress will also create an opening in his Indiana Senate district, which includes portions of Marion and Hamilton counties.
Spartz, who previously served in the Indiana Senate, first won election to Congress in 2020 after Republican Susan Brooks opted against seeking another term.
Her time in Washington included a shifting relationship with Trump, repeated calls for federal spending restraint and a high-profile reversal of her initial decision not to seek reelection in 2024.
She ultimately ran again that year, surviving a contested Republican primary before winning another term in November.
Ford will take office in January for a two-year term.
“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. I will listen, show up and never forget who sent me to Washington. To every voter, volunteer and supporter who made this historic victory possible, thank you. Tonight, we celebrate what Hoosiers made possible. Tomorrow, we begin the work of delivering the change they voted for.”
This article was written by Casey Smith for Indiana Capital Chronicle.
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