INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana will have a new member of the U.S. Senate after November’s general election.
One of the state’s two seats in the U.S. Senate opened after U.S. Senator Mike Braun, R-Ind. made the decision to run for governor of the state of Indiana. Braun is currently the state’s Republican gubernatorial candidate.
In November, voters will have three candidates to choose from for the open seat, including:
- U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind. District 3 – Republican
- Valerie McCray – Democrat
- Andrew Horning – Libertarian
U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind. District 3
As a current U.S. Representative in the state of Indiana, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind. District 3 previously said he believes there is so much more he can do representing the entire state instead of just northeast Indiana.
“It’s been the honor of my life to serve northeast Indiana. But, I love my state,” Banks said. “I love my country. Mike Braun running for governor opened up the Senate seat, and it’s a great opportunity to step up to the plate and serve in a bigger way.”
Banks first announced his run for U.S. Senator in January 2023, according to previous reports. A veteran, Banks has served on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Committees on Education and Workforce and the House Select Committee on China.
The top issue Banks believes faces Indiana in this particular election is inflation, he said, stating that Indiana is one of the states that has been impacted the most by inflation.
Banks said the current rate of inflation is directly tied to the “enormous wasteful spending” by the federal government, leading to the increase of the overall national debt.
“Hoosiers are paying a lot more, even than our neighboring states, for the cost of groceries, the cost of gas,” he said. “The housing crisis in our state is affected by inflation and other factors as well. The fact of the matter is that Hoosiers aren’t better off than what they were four years ago.
“So when, hopefully, Donald Trump goes back to the White House, with the majority in the United States Senate that I hope to be a part of, we can put policies back in place that bring down inflation and the cost of living for Hoosier families.”
Banks said he believes foreign policy experience is critical to a member of the U.S. Senate, stressing he has the background his opponents do not have.
“There is a much larger role in the U.S. Senate when it comes to foreign policy, and I’m best equipped to fill that role after serving eight years in the House on the House Armed Services Committee,” he said. “I’m the only candidate in the race who wore the uniform to serve my country in Afghanistan as a Veteran. So, that experience will come in handy in the United States Senate when it comes to national security issues and foreign policy.”
When asked about his belief in the validity of the results of the 2020 election, Banks said he believes the election was “very unfair.” President Joe Biden won the presidency in 2020, receiving 306 electoral votes over former President Donald J. Trump.
“I voted to object on January 6, (2021),” Banks said. “I never apologized for it and the reason that I did was because COVID and the pandemic was used as an excuse by some states… to change their election rules unconstitutionally.”
“If the same rules applied in 2020 that we had in 2016, Donald Trump would win the election,” Banks concluded after being pressed on the subject by INFocus Host Dan Spehler.
Banks said what brings the state of Indiana together is focusing on issues that are important to Hoosiers, including protecting jobs. Banks believes if the U.S. Congress focused on solving issues important to voters, including inflation, its approval rating would increase.
“America is divided, and I think, at the end of the day, we have to get back to the first principles that make this country great, and that’s our American economy, supporting our economy, creating good jobs, bringing jobs back to the United States,” Banks said.
Valerie McCray
During the course of her campaign, Valerie McCray, the state’s Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat, said she has seen excitement from Indiana residents as she has traveled through the state.
McCray recently said on INFocus she predicts the state will be “shocked” by the general election results in November, based on the energy she has seen. A clinical psychologist, McCray first announced her run for the U.S. Senate in January and would be the first African American woman to represent Indiana in the U.S. Senate, if elected.
According to her website, McCray has worked with Veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, along with other groups dealing with various mental health crises. McCray said she would bring a “unique perspective,” stating she understands firsthand how policy impacts Hoosier lives.
“Whether it’s improving access to care, addressing root causes of trauma, or advocating for policies that support mental wellness, I will be a tireless advocate for the well-being of every American,” McCray said on her website.
McCray said the biggest issue that faces Indiana in this campaign is women’s rights, stating the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse Roe v. Wade was “devastating.”
“That’s the one thing that all the women are, and the people and families, are very focused on. I’m going to be focused on it as well,” she said.
If elected, McCray said she would work to codify abortion rights into federal law and restore protections previously provided by Roe v. Wade.
McCray also spoke about the importance of a straightforward climate change approach by the United States. In her view, she sees climate change as an issue where everyone is at the table, stressing that politicians should quit “denying” its existence.
“There are people all around the state, all around the country, who are working hard to have a clean environment,” she said. “We just have to stop the people who are trying to pull us backward as we’re trying to make progress forward.”
When asked about her foreign policy experience, McCray said she has had more than 20 years of PTSD evaluations with Veterans, stating she has gotten the chance to hear various stories of conflict, understanding the experiences of the individuals who are on the ground during these conflicts.
“I think that even though my opponent was in the military, I am with the military, and my son serves in the military as well,” she said. “So, we understand what that means.”
Ultimately, McCray believes members of the U.S. Congress need to stop being focused solely on party politics and instead think of the constituents they represent.
“We have to stop being pitted against each other because, actually, we’re closer to each other and we have the same goals,” she said. “How we get there might be a little different, but we want the safety and education of our children, and … we want to have an abundant life like everyone.”
Andrew Horning
As the race’s Libertarian candidate, Andrew Horning said his role is to show how critical an alternative is to the current government’s “puppet show.”
“When you consider how off the rails our government has become, and how you can actually trace campaign donations to certain government policies very well, you can see why it’s only really Libertarians and third-party candidates who can even talk about corruption with a straight face,” he said.
According to his website, Horning retired in 2023 and was previously involved in the development and implementation of leading-edge medical technology. Horning said he has been politically active for decades and is an author and activist.
The main issue Horning is covering in his campaign is the “unconstitutional, inherently divisive two-party system.”
During his appearance on INFocus, Horning spoke about various issues, including foreign policy, abortion and healthcare. Horning said he believes what the United States has been doing overseas has been “demonstrably wrong.” Horning also said he believes the interventions overseas are not for the country’s benefit.
As for abortion, Horning stressed it is not a federal issue. While he said he is pro-life in every aspect, it is ultimately up to the states.
“This isn’t a federal issue. It never was,” he said. “Constitutionally, it should not be in the federal domain. The real issue is that our culture has become very anti-life and that’s really the issue that we have to address.”
When asked about term limits, Horning said he has changed his mind over the years, stating he used to believe it was the job of the voters to decide how long a lawmaker should be in office. However, Horning said he believes the voters are not doing their jobs.
“We’re not going to get term limits until we stop electing incumbents,” Horning said. “There are two problems here and both of them have the same source. We have to stop voting for the problems.”
As a candidate, Horning said all he can do is be the Libertarian option on the ballot. From there, he said the voters have all the power, deciding whether or not they want to see change.
“We have to change our votes if we want anything to change. There’s got to be a mea culpa somewhere along the line,” he said. “We have the power of peaceful revolution. That’s what the elections are for. They’re not for hiring politicians, they’re for firing politicians … This is power. It’s real power, and we have been delegating it all the way … We have been acting like this is all a game when it is most certainly not. It is not. It is life and death. It’s our money. It’s our future.”
“If you want change, and if you really want something different, how different can you get from the Libertarian?” Horning asked.
Early voting has started in the State of Indiana. Marion County voters are able to vote at the Indianapolis City-County Building, as well as other locations starting on Oct. 26. That information can be found if you click here.
For early voting locations in your area, visit the Vote 411 website.
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