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:

• 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.

• “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.”

• Veterans: Banks, a veteran, said he wants to continue to make sure veterans receive care and benefits they are entitled to.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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:

• 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.

• 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.

• 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:

• 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.

• 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.

• 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