The dead woman wins the Republican primary for the House of Representatives in Indiana

politics

From Ryan King

Indiana Republicans have agreed on a candidate to face longtime Democratic Rep. Andre Carson in the November election.

It’s a shame she’s dead.

Jennifer Pace, who suffered a fatal heart attack in March, narrowly triumphed in her Republican primary Tuesday night in the Hoosier state’s deep blue 7th Congressional District.

With 99% of the vote, Pace received 31.2% of the vote, followed by retired Army Lt. Catherine Ping with 29.9%, retired postal worker Phillip Davis with 25.7% and former Evansville mayoral candidate Gabe Whitley with 13. 2%, according to the Associated Press tally.

Pace also fought for the seat in 2022 and lost in the primary.

Some locals seemed unaware that Pace had died when they cast their votes for her.

“Nobody knew she was dead. Last week I researched the candidates online. I read their websites and questionnaire responses. I googled her. No mention of her death. No obituaries,” one X user claimed.

“Given her answers (sic), I strongly considered voting for her. Local media has failed again.”

A spokesman for the Indiana Republican Party told the Washington Examiner that they also did not know Pace had died.

According to a Ballotpedia candidate poll, Pace’s platform focused on limiting government, fighting inflation and protecting parental rights.

Indiana law requires local county committee members to crown a new candidate if the standard bearer dies.

There have been several cases in which deceased candidates won elections when they died after the voting change deadline. However, it is unclear whether this was the case in Indiana.

In 2000, Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan won his Senate election after being killed in a plane crash in October. In 1972, Alaska Rep. Nick Begich won another term after his plane disappeared the previous month.

The Post contacted the Indiana Republican Party for comment.

Carson (D-Ind.), who first took office in 2008, is one of two Democrats in the nine-member Indiana House delegation.

“Indianapolis residents and voters across the country want real results – not radical, far-right MAGA extremism that only divides our country.” he said in a statement after securing the nod for re-election. “I will continue to favor people over politics, compromise over chaos, and common sense strategies.”