The Indiana Republican who won this week’s House primary to challenge Indianapolis Democrat Andre Carson will have an impossible time campaigning.
That’s because Jennifer Pace died of a heart attack in March, after she qualified to be on the ballot. Despite passing away, Pace managed to receive 31.2% of the vote, edging out her nearest competitor, retired Army Lt. Catherine Ping, by 320 votes.
Some residents say they were not aware that Pace had died. (RELATED: House Democrat Dead After Medical Emergency)
According to a spokesperson for the Indiana Republican Party, the state party was not aware of Pace’s death before the primary. In response to the vacancy, the state’s party chair will call for a caucus of precinct committeemen in the seventh district to fill the vacant position.
The New York Post continues:
“The official results for the Republican Primary in CD-7 are not required to be certified by the Indiana Election Division until noon on May 24, 2024,” state GOP spokesperson Griffin Reid told The Post.
Pace’s platform centered around limiting the government, combating inflation, and protecting parental rights in education, according to a Ballotpedia candidate survey.
There have been several instances of deceased candidates winning elections when they passed away after the deadline to change ballots, though it’s unclear if that was the case in Indiana.
In 2000, Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan won his Senate race after dying in an October plane crash. In 1972, Alaska Rep. Nick Begich won another term after his plane disappeared in the wilderness the previous month.
Carson has represented most of Indianapolis since 2008. He is currently one of two Democrats in Indiana’s 11-member congressional delegation.
“Indianapolis residents and voters across the country want real results – not radical, far-right MAGA extremism that only divides our country,” Carson said in a statement after securing his party’s nomination. “I’ll continue choosing people over politics, compromise over chaos, and common sense strategies.”
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Patrick Houck is an avid political enthusiast based out of the Washington, D.C., metro area. His expertise is in campaigns and the use of targeted messaging to persuade voters. When not combing through the latest news, you can find him enjoying the company of family and friends or pursuing his love of photography.
