IN-05 Ranked 8th Likeliest Seat to Flip in the Nation

Last night National Journal updated its list of top 20 House seats most likely to flip, with Indiana’s 5th Congressional District as the 8th-most likely to flip in November. This news follows recent ratings changes from Sabato’s Crystal Ball and Cook Political Report, with both nonpartisan election forecasters moving the race from “Lean Republican” to “Toss Up.”

National Journal: #8 – “While a favorite of the conservative Club for Growth, state Sen. Victoria Spartz was not the first choice for many national Republicans to defend the seat of National Republican Congressional Committee recruitment chair Susan Brooks, who is retiring. Spartz defeated three members of the NRCC’s Young Guns program, while 2016 Lt. Gov. nominee Christina Hale sailed through the Democratic primary. Spartz’s conservative credentials might have helped her through the primary, but they could hurt Republicans in the Indianapolis suburbs. An internal poll from Hale showed her ahead of Spartz, 51-45 percent, while Biden led Trump 53-43 percent.”

“Our campaign continues to gain momentum as more Hoosiers learn about Christina Hale’s record of advocating for families and children,” said Joann Saridakis, Hoosiers for Hale campaign manager.“Hoosiers in the 5th District want a representative who is going to fight to protect their health care, not a hardline ideologue who, even in the midst of a pandemic, is fighting to take it away.”