Who's who on the ballot

Election Day is here and thousands of people across the state still have yet to cast their ballots. With 25 different races to watch, including state-wide, local and presidential, and over 50 candidates, it can be intimidating to know who to vote for.
Here's a quick summary on who and what will be on the ballot this year.
The gubernatorial race
Mike Braun greets Republican supporters before the other members of the party arrive.
Shyam Sivasubramanian | Staff Photographer
Sen. Mike Braun (R) is running for governor and will face the former superintendent of public instruction, Jennifer McCormick (D). In a solid red state, Braun isn't expected to face much challenge at the ballot, but his campaign was rocked by several internal challenges, including a dramatic lieutenant governor selection.
City & State
Q&A: Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Braun
BY WIL COURTNEY
City Editor
5 min to read
When Braun announced his bid for governorship, he chose State Rep. Julie McGuire (R) as his running mate. McGuire even received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
But the support didn't prove enough to keep her in contention, and in opposition to Braun's choice, delegates at the state Republican Party Convention chose Micah Beckwith, a far-right Christian pastor and host of the podcast "Jesus, Sex and Politics," to be Braun's running mate.
"There's no doubt about this, I'm in charge, and Micah is going to be someone that works with me," Braun told the Associated Press after Beckwith's victory. "If he doesn't, I think that means it will probably not be as fruitful."
Though Braun's opponent hasn't had to deal with the drama of a controversial running mate, she has had to fight an uphill battle to narrow the race.
City & State
Q&A: Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick
By WIL COURTNEY
City Editor
12 min to read
She didn't always carry the Democratic "D" next to her name. When she ran to be Indiana's superintendent of public instruction in 2016, she not only ran, but won, as a Republican.
There were people before her who ensured her generation had access to affordable housing and good paying jobs, McCormick said. She said young people are not afforded the same opportunities as a result of a minority of people that prioritize “power over the people.”
Vicky Lin | Staff Photographer/
The Indianapolis Star reported that McCormick lost favor with Republicans during her tenure as superintendent. The Republican-controlled legislature would later eliminate the superintendent position altogether when her term ended in 2021.
McCormick runs alongside her pick for lieutenant governor, Terry Goodin, a former state representative who was in office from 2000 to 2020.
Donald Rainwater, a libertarian, is also on the ballot. Rainwater ran for governor in 2020 and though he didn't win, he stole a sizable 11% of the vote between current Gov. Eric Holcomb and then Democratic challenger Woody Myers.
City & State
Q&A: Libertarian Gubernatorial candidate Donald Rainwater
BY WIL COURTNEY
City Editor
8 min to read
Braun and McCormick debated each other in the first gubernatorial debate on Oct. 2 and squared off again with Rainwater on Oct. 3 and 24.
City & State
Braun, McCormick and Rainwater debate for governor
BY WIL COURTNEY
City Editor
6 min to read
The House and Senate
Rep. Jim Baird has been Congressional District 4’s representative since 2019. Prior to his time in the House, he served in the military and was Indiana State District 44’s representative, only to be succeeded by his son, Beau.
Photo Provided
All nine of Indiana's members of congress, with exception to Rep. Jim Banks (R) who is seeking Braun's empty Senate seat, are running for re-election this November.
Tippecanoe County's representative, Jim Baird (R), has been in office since 2019 and is again running to keep his seat.
"I'm the only candidate with a proven track record of being pro-life, pro-Israel and supporter of the Second Amendment," Baird said on his website. "As a Vietnam combat Veteran, I lost my arm fighting communism. And as long as they are openly talking about socialism on the house floor, I am here to fight again."
City & State
Dem. Derrick Holder campaigns to represent Indiana's 4th District
By OLIVIA MAPES
Staff Reporter
3 min to read
Baird, whose campaign never responded to interview with the Exponent, is Trump-endorsed and faces Democrat Derrick Holder.
Derrick Holder, Indiana 4th District congressional candidate, talks about the various ways he has been campaigning.
David Dees | Staff Photographer
Holder does not have an immediately accessible list of policy positions. When the Exponent spoke with him, Holder said he wants people to reach out to him, to start a conversation about policies and beliefs.
Looking to the other side of congress, two candidates are running for the Senate seat. One is frequently covered in the spotlight, the other is a political outsider.
Banks, who has been in office as the representative of Indiana's 3rd District since 2018, runs against Valerie McCray (D), a clinical psychologist.
City & State
Q&A: Senate Democratic candidate Valerie McCray
BY WIL COURTNEY
City Editor
10 min to read
"Jim Banks is a proven conservative and Afghanistan veteran who has fought to defend our nation's freedoms and ideals both in Congress and overseas," Banks website said. "Congressman Banks has been a leader in strengthening our military, securing better care for our veterans, cutting taxes to grow our economy, protecting the right to life and defending religious freedom."
"As your Senator, I will fight for women's rights to choose and bodily autonomy," McCray's website said. "And relentlessly, I will focus on beyond-subsistence wages, because I know what it’s like to be a struggling middle-class American; a single mom, a student using the same bag for books and diapers."
Valerie McCray, the democratic candidate to represent Indiana in the U.S. Senate, talks about how her past experience as a clinical psychologist motivated her to run for office.
Daniel Pike | Photo and Video Editor
If Banks earns his promotion, he will sit alongside Sen. Todd Young, a senator who has been the ire of the former president and the Republican party at large for his more moderate stances.
Banks did not attend a debate against his opponent and did not respond to sit-down with an interview with the Exponent.
"Congressman Banks is focused on representing northeast Indiana in Congress, spending time with his family and running a statewide campaign to be the next conservative U.S. Senator for Indiana," a campaign spokesperson told the Indiana Capital Chronicle in August.
Libertarian Andrew Horning is also on the ballot.
Attorney general
Incumbent Republican Todd Rokita is running to keep his seat against Democratic challenger Destiny Wells.
City & State
Destiny Wells challenges Todd Rokita for Attorney General
BY MAX BURY
Staff Reporter
3 min to read
Rokita, formerly Indiana's secretary of state and U.S. representative, became the attorney general in 2020 and faces a challenger who has never once won a race.
Wells, an attorney, ran for secretary of state in 2022 and lost to Republican Diego Morales by 13.9% of the vote.
Todd Rokita speaks to Republican's at the Allen County leg of the "Freedom and Opportunity" Tour. Rokita gestured towards members of the media and said "we're making a big splash here right now, in front of the fake news and everything else, it's great. Love you guys." Rokita did not to respond to the Exponent's offer for interview and media were barred from asking questions at the event.
Shyam Sivasubramanian | Staff Photographer
"We got to get out of the culture wars that don't have anything to do with Indiana," Wells said in an interview with the Exponent. "I (feel) like the office demands new leadership."
The Exponent emailed Rokita's campaign multiple times over the course of several weeks, but the campaign never responded. The Exponent also attended a campaign event in Fort Wayne where Rokita spoke, but event organizers told reporters that Rokita would not answer questions.
Destiny Wells is running for attorney general against incumbent Todd Rokita. Wells’ last run for office ended in a handed defeat against Diego Morales running for secretary for state.
Photo provided by the Destiny Wells campaign website
Local races and question
In addition to the highly monitored state races, Tippecanoe County residents will be able to vote for state representatives in Districts 13, 26, 27, 38 and 41, county commissioners in Districts 2 and 3, coroner, county council-at-large, the school board seat, court judges, surveyor and treasurer according to Tippecanoe County's website.
City & State
Lafayette Republican candidate runs for Statehouse with two pending criminal cases
BY DUNCAN WAYS
Staff Reporter
3 min to read
Additionally, Tippecanoe residents will be asked a question on the ballot which they can either vote in favor for or against.
City & State
Outsider Jim Schenke runs to unseat Rep. Chris Campbell
BY MAX BURY
Staff Reporter
5 min to read
"Shall the Constitution of the State of Indiana be amended to remove the state superintendent of public instruction from the list of officeholders who shall discharge the powers and duties of the governor if the office of the governor and lieutenant governor are both vacant," the question reads.
The state superintendent position was removed in 2021 and currently does not exist. By voting YES the position will be removed from the list of people who take over if the governor and lieutenant governor are gone. By voting NO the position will maintain its position in the chain of command.
Who is on your ballot will depend on where you live. Voters are able to see their voting district on Tippecanoe County's website.
City & State
Benjamin Milanowski ran for mayor. Now he wants to be the coroner. Kinda.
BY WIL COURTNEY
City Editor
1 min to read
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Additional reporting from Olivia Mapes, campus editor, and Max Bury, staff reporter
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