Banks wins crowded GOP race to replace Stutzman

State Sen. Jim Banks won a closely contested GOP primary battle in northeast Indiana’s congressional district Tuesday and is the strong favorite in the general election given the 3rd District’s conservative makeup.

Democrats chose as their nominee Tommy A. Schrader of Fort Wayne, who has not reported raising any money.

Banks, a commercial real estate broker, heavily emphasized his service in the Navy Reserve and past deployment to Afghanistan.

One of his ads boasted that he has a plan to defeat radical Islamic terrorists.

Young wins GOP Senate primary over Stutzman

He also had the backing of many of the groups that supported Rep. Marlin Stutzman, the Howe Republican who gave up the seat to run for the Senate.

Electing Banks was a big priority for the Club for Growth, the conservative group headed by former Indiana Rep. David McIntosh.

McIntosh took credit Tuesday night for playing a “pivotal role” in Bank’s victory.

“Jim Banks has been a conservative leader in Indiana, and we look forward to 2017 when he’ll bring his commitment to lower taxes, less spending, and smaller government to Washington,” McIntosh said in a statement.

Former Rep. Mark Souder, a Banks’ supporter who represented the district before Stutzman, said the outside spending helped Banks, as did his military service. The area is home to a veterans’ hospital, air base as well as defense contractors.

“It also helped him, I believe, among Trump voters to offset his youth and more conservative positions,” Souder said.

The Club for Growth’s political arm ran ads attacking Banks’ biggest rivals, fellow state Sen. Liz Brown and agribusinessman Kip Tom, who ran as the political outsider.

Tom had the best-funded campaign, helped in part with help from various agriculture interests and a $150,000 personal loan to his campaign.

Also, a super political action committee created in mid-April spent more than $28,000 on media against Banks. The Virginia-based Conservative Outsider PAC has not identified its funders.

Banks, however, got the most support from outside groups.

The House Freedom Fund, the political arm of the Club for Growth and other groups spent more than $440,000 on advertising and mailings praising Banks or criticizing Tom and Brown.

The Club for Growth and the Senate Conservatives Fund also boosted Banks’ coffers with more than $237,000 in contributions from supporters.

Banks also had a long list of endorsements, from state Senate leader David Long to Phyllis Schlafly and groups that also included the Tea Party Express and the House Freedom Fund.

The latter is the political arm of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of House members — including Stutzman — who joined last year to try to move the House leadership to the right and gain more power for the rank-and-file.

Hollingsworth leads in heated 9th District race

Brown, a veteran of Fort Wayne city politics, started the race with the most name recognition. She contributed nearly half of funds raised by her campaign.

Former Wisconsin state Sen. Pam Galloway, a retired surgeon, largely self-funded her campaign.

The other two Republicans, Mark Willard Baringer and Kevin Howell, did not report raising any money.

Besides the 3rd District, the other House race with a competitive primary is in south central Indiana’s 9th District. That’s also an open seat as Rep. Todd Young, like Stutzman, ran for the Senate.

In the state's seven other House districts, all incumbents were expected to easily defeat primary challengers.

Here’s a look at those matchups:

1st District

Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville, who is seeking a 17th term, defeated Willie Brown. There were no Republicans on the ballot.

2nd District

Two-term Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Jimtown, defeated Jeff Petermann in the GOP primary. She will face Democrat Lynn C. Coleman in November.

4th District

Three-term Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Indianapolis, defeated Kevin Grant. He will face Democrat John Dale in November.

5th District

Two-term Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Carmel, defeated Stephen M. MacKenzie and Mike Campbell. She will face Democrat Angela Demaree in November.

6th District

Two-term Rep. Luke Messer, R-Shelbyville, defeated Charles Chuck Johnson Jr. and Jeff Smith. He will face Barry Welsh in November.

7th District

Rep. Andre Carson, the Indianapolis Democrat in his fourth full term, defeated Curtis D. Godfrey and Pierre Quincy Pullins. He will face Catherine (CAT) Ping in November.

8th District

Three-term Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Newburgh, defeated Richard Moss.

Democrats are deciding between David Orentlicher and Ron Drake.

Contact Maureen Groppe at mgroppe@gannett.com or on Twitter: @mgroppe.