Republicans sweep state offices in Tuesday’s election

It was a good night for Republicans in Indiana. U.S. Senator Mike Braun will be the state’s next governor.

The Republican defeated Democratic nominee Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian nominee Donald Rainwater by a wide margin in yesterday’s election.

Attorney General Todd Rokita was re-elected over Democrat Destiny Wells.

Former President Donald Trump won the state of Indiana for the third consecutive election. Trump defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris yesterday in Indiana, earning Indiana’s 11 electoral votes.

Republican Congressman Jim Banks defeated Democrat Valerie McCray yesterday to be Indiana’s next U.S. Senator. Jefferson Shreve will take the U.S. House District 6 seat previously held by Columbus resident Greg Pence. And Congresswoman Erin Houchin won re-election to the District 9 seat in the House.

In the statehouse races covering Bartholomew County, Republican incumbent Ryan Lauer won re-election with 64 percent of the vote over Democrat Ross Thomas. In District 69 representing the far southern portion of the Bartholomew along with parts of Jackson, Scott and Washington counties, incumbent Republican Jim Lucas won re-election with 69 percent of the vote over Democrat Trish Whitcomb. And in District 73, which includes eastern Bartholomew County, Republican Jennifer Meltzer won re-lection with almost 77 percent of the vote over Hollie Payton.

Republicans also swept all of the contested races in the county.