The Indiana Primary was held May 3.

In the 6th congressional district for U.S. House of Representatives, Republican incumbent Greg Pence of Columbus won with a commanding 78.2% of the vote over challenger James Dean Alspach (21.8%). Democrat Cinde Wirth eased to victory over George Thomas Holland, doubling him up 66.8%-33.3%.

Wirth, originally from Columbus, is a doctoral student and has been a consultant, small business owner and high school biology/environmental science teacher.

For U.S. Senator, Republican incumbent Todd Young and Democratic challenger Thomas McDermott Jr. were both unopposed.

In state legislative contests, Lindsay Patterson of Brookville won five of the six counties represented in District 55 to advance in the four-individual race, showing strongest in Fayette and Rush counties. Dr. David Welsh won hometown Ripley County by just two votes over Patterson. Overall, Patterson won 39.3% of ballots and Curtis Ward, also of Brookville, was next with 25.3%. Welsh secured 19.6% of the pie. John Moton of Ripley Co. finished fourth at 15.8%.

Locally, UC Republicans chose Patterson at a 45.2% clip, Ward at 41% and Welsh and Moton at just 8.6% and 5.3%, respectively.

There were no Dist. 55 candidates on the Democrat side. For State Senator Dist. 27, Democrat Ronald Itnyre and Republican incumbent Jeff Raatz were unopposed.

No Republican primary challengers locally included races for Union Co. Circuit Court Judge – Matthew R. Cox, Ted Young for surveyor, Howard N. Curry for county commissioner Dist. 1, Ravenna Gavin Brown for county council Dist. 1, Tyler Clavell for county council Dist. 2, Nancy Witter for county council Dist. 3, Trisha Dearth Persinger for county council Dist. 4 and Fred W. Lunsford (Brownsville), Matt Reuss (Center), Rick Hill (Harrison) and Bill Baumbauer (Liberty) for township trustees.

Unopposed races for the Democrats were Union Co. Prosecutor AJ Bryson, Susan M. Ray for circuit court clerk, Loree A. Persinger for recorder, Jeffrey D. Franklin for sheriff, Diana L. Baker for assessor, Jim Hensley Jr. for county council Dist. 2 and Mark A. Rosenberger for Union Twp. Trustee.

There were two local notable contests on the Republican ballot. For recorder, Sue A. Rude won a three-person contest with 51.5% of the vote; Tammy K. Hartman finished with 37.8% and Shelby Robbins 10.7%. There were also three men vying to advance in the sheriff race – Jeffrey Wayne Adams secured 58.2% of the ballots while Kirk A. Bryson received 26.3% and Zach Bostick 15.5%.

Three-person township advisory boards are on track to include the following: Brownsville (Democrats Edith N. Crist and William Paddock and Republican David Hartman), Harmony (Republican Scott W. Keasling).

State conventions for both major parties take place June 18. Independent or minor party candidates can file a petition for nomination by the end of June. July 3 is the deadline for both major parties to conduct a political caucus to fill a vacancy existing on the general election ballot – a convention in the case of the Libertarian Party. Write-in candidates have until July 5 to file. There are a few exceptions for late candidate filing.