The Primary Election here in the Great State of Indiana is on the 5th of May. Early voting started on the 7th of April. Off-year (non-Presidential Election years) elections have a reputation for low voter turnout. While the 2024 General (Presidential) Election saw a 62% voter turnout in Indiana. The 2024 Primary had only a 17% turnout from Hoosier registered voters. The previous off-year Primary Election (2022) voter turnout in Indiana? Only 14%!!
The way I see it, there are two different ways to view this. One way to look at it: a lot more Hoosiers should be getting out to vote. The other: if there is an incredibly low turnout, motivated gun owners and 2nd Amendment (2A) supporters can have a great impact on the outcome of the Primary Election!
If you remember back to the lead-up to the 2024 Presidential Election, there were seven “swing States” that were crucial to President Trump’s victory. The NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) initiated targeted text messages to gun owners who were low-propensity voters. I’ve read that voter turnout for NRA members is over 90%. Getting the rest of the gun owners to the polls is vital.
So, who is on your ballot? There are signs everywhere, radio and TV spots for candidates are filling the airwaves. Are these candidates in your district? You can go to Indiana Voters to check out who is on your ballot, as well as voting locations. This year all nine of Indiana’s US House seats are on the ballot, as are all 100 of the Indiana State Representatives. Half of the State Senators (25 out of 50) are on the ballot as well. So how do you know which candidate will be on the side of 2A supporters?
A good place to start when looking for 2A supporting candidates is NRA PVF Grades Indiana. The NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is the political action committee of the NRA. This is the entity that grades candidates based on voting records on 2A matters. Candidates without a voting record will have an “AQ” grade based on answering the questionnaire in a pro-2A manner. A “?” means the candidate with no voting record did not answer the questionnaire. An anti-2A candidate with no voting record will receive a “D” or an “F” based on the questionnaire.
Since this is a Primary Election, unopposed candidates will not be shown in the grades. Erin Houchin from the 9th District US House has an A+ grade, but she is unopposed so you won’t see her grade and endorsement until the General Election in November. The same applies with State Representative Jim Lucas from Seymour.
Also to be noted: a long-standing policy in the NRA-PVF is to not take an endorsement away from an A graded incumbent even if an opponent has an A+ grade. If there are multiple non-incumbents with A or AQ grades, the NRA-PVF will not choose one to endorse in the Primary.
Notable NRA-PVF endorsements are also some of the first endorsements from the ISRPA. The first ISRPA endorsement went to Indiana 15th District Senate candidate Darren Vogt. He is running against the incumbent (who has an NRA-PVF grade of D) Liz Brown. Senator Brown is no friend to gun owners and no friend of the 2A. Are you in the Indiana 15th Senate District in Fort Wayne? Make sure to get to the polls.
Another ISRPA endorsement was an easy call. State Representative Ben Smaltz (House District 52) is endorsed by the NRA-PVF and has an A+ grade. He wrote the Indiana Constitutional Carry of Handguns Bill. Like I said, easy call.
We are very much in the Primary Election season here in the Great State of Indiana. With an incredibly low historical voter turnout in the Primary? Gun owners and 2A supporters have a great opportunity to make an impact. Know who is on your ballot, get to the polls.
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