Rep. Victoria Spartz, the first Ukrainian-born member of Congress from Indiana, successfully defended her seat in the 5th Congressional District primary election against eight GOP rivals. Despite initially announcing her retirement over a year ago to spend more time with her family, Spartz changed course just days before the filing deadline in February.
In a closely watched race, Spartz secured victory with 39.1% of the vote, narrowly defeating state Rep. Chuck Goodrich and seven other challengers. The campaign highlighted Spartz’s support for her homeland in its conflict with Russia, with her changing stance on aid to Ukraine becoming a focal point. Goodrich attacked Spartz for allegedly flip-flopping on her reelection plans and her position on Ukraine aid.
Facing significant financial disparity, Spartz injected $700,000 of her own money into her campaign after being outspent by Goodrich, who financed his campaign with $4.6 million from personal funds. Spartz, who first entered Congress in 2020 and defeated Democrat Christina Hale in a competitive race, will now face Democrat Deborah Pickett in the general election.
Pickett, a former researcher and Army reservist, won the Democratic primary with 60.2% of the vote. The race promises to be closely watched, as Spartz seeks to retain her seat in the face of Democratic opposition.
