J.D. Ford Unseats Victoria Spartz, Flipping Indiana's 5th District for Democrats

Democrat J.D. Ford has defeated Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. It was one of the night’s notable upsets in a state where Republicans hold most congressional seats. The Associated Press called the race for Ford early Wednesday. With nearly all votes counted, Ford had about 51.7% to Spartz’s 48.3%, according to AP results cited by the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

Ford, a two-term state senator from Indianapolis, will take office in January for a two-year term. The loss ends Spartz’s six years in Congress. She was seeking a fourth term.

Who won in Indiana’s 5th District?

J.D. Ford. Axios Indianapolis reported that he won with nearly 52% of the vote, flipping the district from red to blue. Ratings agencies had expected a closer race than usual but still favored Spartz. A few days before the election, the Cook Political Report moved the race from “Likely Republican” to “Leans Republican,” the Capital Chronicle reported.

The district runs from Indianapolis’ northern suburbs into north-central Indiana. It includes Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Anderson, Muncie and Marion. Spartz won reelection two years ago by more than 18 percentage points.

What happened in Hamilton County?

Hamilton County was the focus of Spartz’s explanation for her loss. In an early Wednesday statement quoted by the Capital Chronicle, she said, “An influx of liberal voters has turned Hamilton County, once one of the top 20 most conservative counties in the country, blue — with not enough rural Indiana voters to offset those numbers.” She also accused Democrats of outspending her campaign and running “a very dishonest campaign,” and she told supporters not to be discouraged.

The Capital Chronicle said Ford’s win builds on recent Democratic gains in Hamilton County and the surrounding Indianapolis suburbs, where Republicans have traditionally dominated. These are Spartz’s characterizations and the paper’s analysis. Detailed county-level numbers were not in the reports reviewed here.

What did J.D. Ford say?

“Tonight, Hoosiers made history, and they sent a message that will be heard far beyond Indiana’s 5th District,” Ford said in a statement. At a watch party at Sun King Fishers, he told supporters, “I’m going to go to Congress to take on the big utilities that have been driving up the rates,” according to Axios.

Who is J.D. Ford?

Ford has represented Indiana Senate District 29 since 2018. He won that seat by defeating longtime Republican Sen. Mike Delph and became the first openly gay member of the Indiana General Assembly. His move to Congress will open his state Senate seat, which covers parts of Marion and Hamilton counties.

His congressional campaign focused on:

• Costs: criticism of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and their effect on families, farmers and businesses
• Health care: protecting Medicaid funding and rural hospitals and lowering prescription drug prices
• Housing: limiting home purchases by large corporations and international investors
• Utilities: requiring data centers to pay their own utility and water costs
• Oversight: regular town halls and stronger congressional oversight of federal agencies

What about Victoria Spartz?

Spartz was born in Ukraine. She is a certified public accountant and a former Indiana state senator. She campaigned on cutting federal spending, health care changes, reducing the national debt and overhauling Congress’ budget process. In 2024 she reversed an earlier decision not to seek reelection and survived a contested primary.

The race grew contentious near the end. Ford questioned Spartz’s financial disclosures and her family’s stock transactions. Spartz disputed the allegations and accused Ford of misleading voters, the Capital Chronicle reported. Axios said Spartz had become a controversial candidate, citing concerns about how she treated staff, her campaign spending and her open dislike of the job.

Who won the other Indiana House races?

According to unofficial results reported by Axios, every other Indiana House incumbent won:

When the new Congress convenes in January, Indiana’s delegation will have six Republicans and three Democrats, up from two Democrats, the Capital Chronicle reported.

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