The 2026 Indiana Senate election will be held on November 3, 2026, in the U.S. state of Indiana, coinciding with other elections in the state, including for U.S. House, Indiana secretary of state, Indiana treasurer, Indiana state auditor, and Indiana House, as well as various other local elections. Voters will elect members in 25 of the 50 seats in the Indiana Senate to serve four-year terms in single-member constituencies. The primary elections took place on May 5.
Primary election
Failed congressional redistricting
In late 2025, as a part of the broader 2025–2026 United States redistricting, Republican President Donald Trump urged the state of Indiana to redraw its congressional districts to oust two incumbent Democratic congressmen from the state. The proposal ran into unexpectedly-strong opposition in the Republican-supermajority Senate, with over a dozen Republican senators voicing opposition to the move ahead of the vote. In an attempt to pressure holdouts to vote in favor of redrawing the map, Trump vowed to back primary challengers to all Republicans who vote against it. Independent of these actions, a number of senators were targets of threats of violence against them ahead of the vote, including bomb threats and swatting calls. Ultimately, the Senate on December 11, 2025, voted 31–19 against redrawing the congressional maps, with 21 Republicans joining all 10 Democrats in opposition.
Campaign Following the vote, Republican Governor Mike Braun vowed to assist Trump in primarying the Republican senators who voted against redistricting. The conservative organization Turning Point Action additionally promised to donate large amounts of money to further that goal. Senator Greg Walker, who was adamantly against redistricting, reversed his decision to retire and announced in January 2026 that he would run for reelection. In the leadup to the primary, Super PACs and other outside groups have spent unprecedentedly high amounts of money on primary races, exclusively targeting Republicans who voted against redistricting, regardless of other ideological factors. President Donald Trump endorsed all incumbent Republican senators who voted for redistricting and endorsed eight primary challengers, one for nearly every Republican senator running who voted against it.
Ad spending in these races has topped $8 million, raising concerns that this money is being diverted from competitive general election races across the country. Additionally, some have described the challengers' campaigns as lacking a clear focus beyond retribution from Trump. Despite this, multiple incumbents have expressed concern about their prospects based on their internal polling. Trump allies expressed hope to oust between three and five of the eight incumbents they are challenging.
Results Five of the seven challengers whom Trump endorsed defeated an incumbent state senator. A sixth incumbent who voted against redistricting whose challenger was not endorsed by Trump also lost renomination.
Overview 2026 Indiana State Senate general electionPartyVotesPercentage% changeSeatsbeforeSeatsupCandidatesSeatswonSeatsafter+/– Republican402224 Democratic10324 Libertarian001 Totals — 50 25 49 25 50 —
Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball January 22, 2026
Retirements A total of four incumbent state senators – two Republicans and two Democrats – announced their retirements.
Republicans District 31: Kyle Walker retired. District 39: Eric Bassler retired.
Democrats District 29: J. D. Ford retired to run for Indiana's 5th congressional district. District 46: Andrea Hunley retired to run for mayor of Indianapolis in 2027.
Incumbents defeated In primary elections Republicans District 1: Dan Dernulc lost renomination to Trevor De Vries. District 6: Rick Niemeyer lost renomination to Jay Starkey. District 11: Linda Rogers lost renomination to Brian Schmutzler. District 17: Nick McKinley lost renomination to Chris Parker. District 19: Travis Holdman lost renomination to Blake Fiechter. District 21: Jim Buck lost renomination to Tracey Powell. District 41: Greg Walker lost renomination to Michelle Davis.
District 1
Incumbent Republican Dan Dernulc ran for re-election. He was previously elected in 2022 with 52.3% of the vote. Dernulc voted against redistricting.
Republican primary Nominee Trevor De Vries, insurance broker
Eliminated in primary Dan Dernulc, incumbent state senator Nader Liddawi, financial analyst
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Scott Houldieson
Results
General election Post-primary endorsements
Results
District 4
The district has been represented by Democrat Rodney Pol Jr. since 2021. He was elected with 52.3% of the vote in 2022.
Democratic primary Nominee Rodney Pol Jr., incumbent state senator
Results
Republican primary Nominee Nate Uldricks, Porter County GOP chairman
Eliminated in primary Johannes Poulard, candidate for this district in 2022
Endorsements
Results
General election Post-primary endorsements
Results
District 6
The district has been represented by Republican Rick Niemeyer since 2014. Niemeyer was re-elected unopposed in 2022. Niemeyer voted against redistricting.
Republican primary Nominee Jay Starkey, carpenter
Eliminated in primary Rick Niemeyer, incumbent state senator
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Kate-Lynn Holley, realtor and former WWE wrestler
Results
General election Results
District 11
The district has been represented by Republican Linda Rogers since 2018. Rogers was re-elected with 61.7% of the vote in 2022. Rogers voted against redistricting.
Republican primary Nominee Brian Schmutzler, physician
Eliminated in primary Linda Rogers, incumbent state senator
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Gabrianna Gratzol, community organizer and activist
General election Post-primary endorsements
Results
District 14
The district has been represented by Republican Tyler Johnson since 2022. Johnson was elected with 65.1% of the vote in 2022. Johnson voted for redistricting.
Republican primary Nominee Tyler Johnson, incumbent state senator
Endorsements
Democratic primary Nominee Blaine Sefton
General election Results
District 15
The district has been represented by Republican Liz Brown since 2014. Brown was re-elected unopposed in 2022. Brown voted for redistricting.
Republican primary Although Brown voted in favor of redistricting, she faced a prominent primary challenge from former Allen County councilman and U.S. senator Jim Banks staffer Darren Vogt primarily due to her refusal as chair of the state Senate Judiciary Committee to schedule a hearing for a Todd Rokita-backed immigration bill. Certified primary results showed Brown leading by a narrow margin of 15 votes. On May 19, Vogt filed a recount petition.
Declared Liz Brown, incumbent state senator
Eliminated in primary Darren Vogt, Northwest Allen County Schools board member, former Allen County councilman, candidate for this district in 2014
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Julie McGill, small business owner
Eliminated in primary Chloe Andis, U.S. Air Force veteran, defense consultant
Endorsements
Results
General election Results
District 17
The district has been represented by Republican Andy Zay since 2016. Zay was re-elected with 75.1% of the vote in 2022. In December 2025, Governor Mike Braun appointed Zay to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. During the caucus election among precinct committee members, Nick McKinley was elected to fill the remainder of Zay's term.
Republican primary Nominee Chris Parker, realtor
Eliminated in primary Michael Hensley, school board president of Manchester Community Schools Nick McKinley, incumbent state senator
Declined Andy Zay, former state senator (2016–2026)
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Cynthia Wehr, nurse
General election Post-primary endorsements
Results
District 19
The district has been represented by Republican Travis Holdman since 2008. Holdman was re-elected unopposed in 2022. Holdman voted against redistricting.
Republican primary Nominee Blake Fiechter, Bluffton city councilman
Eliminated in primary Travis Holdman, incumbent state senator
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Timothy Murphy, pastor
General election Post-primary endorsements
Results
District 21
The district has been represented by Republican Jim Buck since 2008. Buck was re-elected with 64% of the vote in 2022. Buck voted against redistricting.
Republican primary Nominee Tracey Powell, Tipton County commissioner
Eliminated in primary Jim Buck, incumbent state senator
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Kirsten Root, social worker
Eliminated in primary Joseph Kazlas, Navy veteran
Endorsements
General election Results
District 22
The district has been represented by Republican Ron Alting since 1998. Alting was re-elected unopposed in 2022. Alting voted for redistricting.
Republican primary Nominee Ron Alting, incumbent state senator
Eliminated in primary Richard Bagsby, pastor and candidate for House District 41 in 2022
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Natasha Baker, teacher
Eliminated in primary Marlena Edmondson, student service coordinator
Results
General election Results
District 23
The district has been represented by Republican Spencer Deery since 2022. Deery was elected with 63.6% of the vote in 2022. Deery voted against redistricting.
Republican primary Declared Paula Copenhaver, former Fountain County clerk; governmental affairs director for Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith; and candidate for this seat in 2022 Spencer Deery, incumbent state senator
Endorsements
Results
The Republican primary for this district was incredibly close with Paula Copenhaver be certified as the winner on August 10, 2026, over three months past the primary election date. Initially, incumbent Senator Spencer Deery led by 3 votes. Indiana does not provide automatic recounts, but state law permits candidates to request one within fourteen days of the election. Copenhaver filed a recount petition on May 21, challenging the validity of ballots cast by 14 Democratic voters who publicly stated that they had requested a Republican primary ballot to vote for Deery. Copenhaver's petition to challenge the voters was denied, but in a later meeting the Indiana Recount Commission rejected 8 ballots for Deery and 2 for Copenhaver, based on either lack of signature of the county clerk or one or both set of initials from election judges, bringing the vote tally to 6,332 votes to 6,329 votes in Copenhaver's favor. Deery's lawyer says she plans to appeal to the Indiana Court of Appeals. On September 10, the Indiana Supreme Court overturned the commission's decision to reject those 10 votes, citing a state statue that makes ballots legally countable despite errors by election officials. The court's decision ruled Deery as the winner.
Democratic primary Nominee David Sanders, West Lafayette city council member and nominee for this district in 2022
General election Results
District 25
The district has been represented by Republican Mike Gaskill since 2022. Gaskill was elected with 64.1% of the vote in 2022. Gaskill voted for redistricting.
Republican primary Nominee Mike Gaskill, incumbent state senator
Eliminated in primary Katherine Callahan, small business owner
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Tamie Dixon-Tatum, office manager and perennial candidate
Eliminated in primary Todd Shelton, small business owner
Results
General election Results
District 26
The district has been represented by Republican Scott Alexander since 2022. Alexander was elected with 61% of the vote in 2022. Alexander voted for redistricting.
Republican primary Nominee Scott Alexander, incumbent state senator
Eliminated in primary