Indiana
What to know about the candidates and issues in Indiana's open U.S. Senate race
Indiana’s 2024 elections feature a rare open U.S. Senate seat, as it is being vacated by Republican Mike Braun to run for governor.
The competition in the race up until this point has been minimal, with only a contested Democratic primary earlier this year. Here’s what you need to know about the candidates and some of the campaign issues in this race.
Jim Banks
Jim Banks, currently the congressman for Indiana’s 3rd District, was uncontested in the Republican primary to become the Hoosier State’s next U.S. senator.
The Columbia City congressman launched his campaign in January 2023 and gained major endorsements from Republicans inside and outside of the state. Banks is a military veteran and served in the Indiana Senate prior to his election to Congress. Here are some of the key issues for his campaign:
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Immigration: Banks said he has and will advocate for a secure border and reinstating Trump administration policies, such as requiring migrants to remain in Mexico before their asylum claims are heard in the U.S.
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“Pro-life” policies: The congressman’s campaign site states that he will advocate for anti-abortion policies, including allowing no federal tax dollars to go to Planned Parenthood and voting for judges that “respect the Constitution.”
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Veterans: Banks, a veteran, said he wants to continue to make sure veterans receive care and benefits they are entitled to.
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Economy: Per his campaign site, Banks said he would support “pro-growth policies” like Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and efforts to fill the “skills gap” between training and available jobs. The congressman said he also would seek to reduce the national debt.
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Education: Banks opposes critical race theory and “liberal propaganda” being taught in schools. He also seeks to “protect girls’ sports,” messaging conservatives use to object to transgender children participating in sports.
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National security: Banks said he wants to give service members the ability to defend the country from outside threats, but in a financially responsible way. Banks’ website also states that the U.S. has a “moral obligation to protect Israel.”
Valerie McCray
McCray, a clinical psychologist from Indianapolis, won the May primary to become the Democratic nominee in the U.S. Senate race. She previously ran for president during the 2020 election cycle. The issues in her platform include the following:
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Foreign policy: McCray said the country should follow foreign policy that values “human life.” Her website states this policy should include an “immediate ceasefire” in the Israel-Hamas war and a return to a two-state solution.
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Economy and housing: McCray’s website says she would support less burdensome taxes on middle-class families. She also supports unions and efforts for fair wages. She views affordable housing as a right and said she would support efforts to make it easier for Hoosiers to find housing they can afford.
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Immigration: McCray would advocate for “comprehensive immigration reform,” which would include expedited work permits, more efficient asylum and increasing funding for federal efforts such as asylum judges and border patrol. She said she would support the president shutting down the border if the immigration system becomes overwhelmed.
Andrew Horning
Horning is the Libertarian candidate for Indiana’s 2024 U.S. Senate race. The Freedom, Indiana, resident has run for various offices over the last 30 years, including governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Horning is retired and previously worked for medical technology companies, according to his campaign website.
Horning writes on his website that he advocates for constitutional design, which he said means that the government should do business based on the “clear written law.” He believes some of the country’s issues that need to be addressed include:
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Two-party political system: Horning argues the U.S.’s two major political parties are “anti-constitutional,” “suppress competition” and have contributed to divisiveness throughout the country.
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Foreign policy: Horning writes that the U.S. should no longer fund and train its foreign and domestic enemies and focus on “dangers” within the country’s own borders, such as immigration and threats he describes from the Chinese Communist Party.
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Immigration: The Libertarian said he supports efforts to fix the “border crisis,” including addressing the cost of “legal” labor so employers don’t seek “illegal” workers at a lower cost. He also suggests making immigration laws more consistent to stop migrants and employers from remaining quiet and breaking the law. Finally, Horning writes that the U.S. should stop foreign involvement that make other countries “practically uninhabitable” and force those citizens to seek new places to live.
Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana’s U.S. Senate race is open. Here are the candidates and issues
Indiana
Chicago-area weather forecast: Several inches of snow expected for NW Indiana Wednesday, Thursday
CHICAGO (WLS) — Parts of northern Indiana could see several inches of lake-effect snow Wednesday and Thursday.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 7 a.m. ET Wednesday until 1 p.m. ET Thursday for La Porte County, Indiana and Berrien County, Michigan.
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There is a Winter Weather Advisory from 8 a.m. Wednesday until 4 a.m. Thursday for Porter County, Indiana.
There is a Winter Weather Advisory from 7 a.m. ET Wednesday until 1 p.m. Thursday for Starke County, Indiana.
Bands of heavy snow are expected Wednesday afternoon. Two to 5 inches of snow are possible in Porter, while La Porte parts of Berrien could see more than 6 inches of snow, ABC7 Chicago meteorologist Tracy Butler said.
Snow will continue through Wednesday night into Thursday morning before tapering off during the day on Thursday.
A band of snow is expected to move through the Illinois part of the Chicago area around 7 a.m. Butler said light accumulations of less than an inch are possible.
Temperatures across the area will drop steadily throughout the week.
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A team of music therapy researchers at Indiana University Indianapolis is partnering with Hoosier communities to help residents recover from chronic opioid use. The team was recently awarded $310,000 through a State Opioid Response Grant from the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addictions. The funds will help the program expand, demonstrating IU’s leadership in finding innovative, effective solutions for addiction recovery and mental health across the Hoosier state.
In Marion County, the team led by Kate Myers-Coffman, visiting assistant professor of music therapy in the Herron School of Art and Design, has been building a music therapy protocol through a partnership with the Indianapolis Comprehensive Treatment Center, a state-funded outpatient opioid treatment facility.
The sessions are designed to train the brain to restore impulse control and reconnect with healthy sources of pleasure, like music and meditation, instead of relying on opioids. The Herron team’s research is the first in the U.S. to focus on how music therapy, paired with medication-assisted recovery, can help people who engage with recovery via outpatient clinics.
During the pilot phase of the study, 19 participants attended drop-in music therapy sessions at the Indianapolis Comprehensive Treatment Center over two eight-week periods. They later reported significant improvements in calmness, self-kindness, hopefulness and readiness to cope with stress.
“It gives me the opportunity to relax and focus on what I’m trying to do in my day,” said Ed Robinson, an Indianapolis resident who has regularly attended the center’s music therapy sessions for the past year and a half. “I never thought about music being a way for me to do that until now.”
The new funding will help the current program expand, offering three 90-minute sessions per week rather than one 60-minute session. It will also help the program build relationships with additional clinics in high-need Indiana communities, including Kokomo and Charlestown, and pilot a program for Dove Recovery House, a residential recovery center for women.
“We partner with community clinics to find out how we could uniquely support the needs of the people who go there for care, and then we develop programming that’s tailored to them,” Myers-Coffman said.
Caitlin Krater, a board-certified music therapist and Ph.D. student, has been working on the research team since the study began. Krater is developing a separate protocol designed for pregnant or postpartum women in recovery, in addition to leading the music therapy sessions at the Indianapolis Comprehensive Treatment Center.
“There has historically been very limited research on music therapy embedded in outpatient opioid treatment programs, particularly in methadone clinic settings,” Krater said. “Most of the existing literature focuses on in-patient or residential contexts, so we are helping to fill an important gap.”
Medication assisted recovery is often necessary for chronic opioid users since they must wean themselves off of their body’s chemical dependence. Krater said medication assisted treatment is evidence-based and lifesaving, and for many people it is an essential part of stability, not a failure of recovery.
“This year, the state of Indiana passed legislation that increases access to medication assisted recovery,” Krater said. “Indiana has really been targeting the opioid epidemic, and the numbers are improving.”
Staying engaged in recovery is highly important for those struggling with opioid dependence. Krater said that finding coping mechanisms and systems of support outside of a clinical setting are essential for helping people stay engaged, which is what the team strives to provide.
“I find peace when I’m here,” Robinson said of the music therapy sessions. “I didn’t know what to expect, but this is one of the things that has kept me coming back, and it’s helped me not feel so ashamed.”
Robinson is a mechanic who recently took a leave of absence to undergo heart surgery. He said one of his favorite parts of music therapy is when Krater plays the monochord, an ancient string instrument that, when played in person, produces a deep, resonant tone that vibrates throughout the body.
Robinson said he has even started meditating in the mornings when he’s at home, humming or playing music to replicate the effects of the monochord.
After the hypnotic monochord session, Krater asks participants to choose from an assortment of instruments, including small tin drums, tambourines, maracas and wooden xylophones. Together, they play improvisationally as Krater strums a guitar. Each instrument is tuned to the C pentatonic scale, which allows everyone to play without worrying they will hit a “wrong” note.
Sometimes Krater will ask the group to share a word to guide their improvisational music session.
“I heard patience,” Krater said during one session. “That’s a great one. Let’s start a little slow to be patient and then build it up.”
Several of the participants gathered to talk about patience after they played their instruments. They agreed that practicing patience is important for recovery, since opioid use hijacks the brain, diminishing impulse control. They said taking time to pause and reflect can often be the difference between using and not using opioids.
“For me, it gave me an opportunity to look inside and ask myself some questions because in the hustle and bustle of life, you don’t always get a chance to do that, and that’s how I found myself in this situation in the first place,” Robinson said.
He said he hopes that music therapy of this nature will become more widely available to those in recovery because it has helped him a great deal.
“I’ve never once felt judged coming to this whole entire program, but especially this music aspect,” Robinson said. “It’s made a big difference for me, and I appreciate it. I’d like to see it go on forever.”
IU researcher Caitlin Krater plays the guitar during a music therapy session. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
Supporting Indiana communities
Caitlin Krater leads a music therapy session at the Indianapolis Comprehensive Treatment Center, which specializes in outpatient opioid recovery. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
Participants improvise music during a music therapy session. Each instrument is tuned to allows everyone to play without worrying about the notes. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
Finding peace, practicing patience
Caitlin Krater, a music therapy researcher at IU Indianapolis, plays a monochord, an ancient string instrument. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
“It gives me the opportunity to relax and focus on what I’m trying to do in my day,” said Ed Robinson of Indianapolis, who has attended music therapy sessions for the past year and a half. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
Indiana
It’s been a predictably tough year for Indiana, even with Pascal Siakam playing like an All-Star
Indiana’s Pascal Siakam went 1-on-1 against Boston’s Derrick White as time was running out, backed into him a couple of times near the foul line, spun into the lane and then watched his shot kiss off the backboard and fall for what became a game-winner.
For the Pacers, it was joy.
There hasn’t been much of that this season.
Monday night’s 98-96 victory over the Celtics — one where Boston coach Joe Mazzulla answered every question in his postgame news conference by saying “illegal screen” — sent Indiana’s record to just 9-31 on the season, still the worst in the Eastern Conference. And that’s even with the Pacers now on a three-game winning streak.
It’s a far cry from seven months ago, when Indiana was in Game 7 of the NBA Finals and fully believing it was about to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder for the title. Then Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in the first half, Myles Turner left in free agency and … well, everything is different.
Except, that is, for Siakam. He was an All-Star last season, his third selection to the league’s showcase game, and has even better numbers this season. And with the debut of another new All-Star format this season — U.S. vs. the World — the forward from Cameroon is hoping to get another invite.
“It’s going to be an honor if it happens,” Siakam said. “I’m not too focused on it. I just try to be the best player that I could be out there every single night. Some nights are going to be great. Some nights are not. But I just stick to the work and hopefully it comes with some accomplishments.”
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, right, works the ball inside against the defense of Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. Credit: AP/Doug McSchooler
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle has been campaigning. Siakam’s heroics on Monday night made it easy to keep it going.
“Just further makes the case for the All-Star team,” Carlisle said.
Siakam is averaging 23.5 points and 6.8 rebounds; only nine other players right now have numbers like that per game in both categories. It could be argued that he’s putting up those numbers for a team where he’s often the go-to option with Haliburton out for the year, and that’s fair. But Carlisle also points out that Siakam is leading by example, helping young players in new roles as the Pacers try to figure out who can best help them going forward.
“Pascal Siakam is one of the favorite players I’ve ever been around at any level,” Carlisle said. “He’s just amazing.”
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. Credit: AP/Nell Redmond
The Pacers beat Sacramento on Dec. 8 for what was their sixth win of the season and the 999th in Carlisle’s career as a head coach. The milestone celebration was looming. The Pacers went into the next game wondering if that would be the night. It wasn’t. They did the same the next game. Again, it wasn’t. And so on. And so on. And so on. They lost 13 in a row. Carlisle was stuck on 999 wins for a month. It was Jan. 8 when the streak was snapped and the celebration finally happened.
“It took way too long,” Siakam said. “Yeah, too long. I mean, I think it was great, obviously, because he’s an amazing coach. It’s a great honor for him. And again, we’ve been trying not to think about it too much, but obviously, we’ve lost a lot of games. There’s just too much losing for my liking and for the liking of the team. So, I’m glad that we got that out of the way and hopefully we don’t find ourselves in that situation ever again.”
The Pacers are 3-0 since that losing streak. Siakam — a champion with Toronto in 2019 — has no delusions about what the rest of the season may bring. Haliburton will be back next season and Indiana should be vastly improved. Siakam isn’t thinking about that yet, though. For now, it’s just about what happens each day, with this team, and this three-game streak is a reminder that work is paying off.
“Definitely one of the most challenging years for me, I think, on the court and also even emotionally,” Siakam said. “All I really want is to win. And I’ve been so used to being in a winning situation, so this situation, it’s hard. It’s tough.”
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