Indiana Rural Summit Coalition sends record number of candidates to the Statehouse

Submitted

The Indiana Rural Summit is sending at least 16 members to the Indiana General Assembly next session, showing that rural races can be competitive if qualified candidates receive training, fundraising assistance, and regional coordination.

“The November 3 election results demonstrated that political power is not fixed and districts can change,” Indiana Rural Summit Founder Michelle Higgs said. “Voters can organize. And communities that have been overlooked can make themselves heard. The work of our candidates, volunteers, and regional coalitions helped make that possible.”

Indiana Rural Summit candidates elected to the legislature include:

Indiana Senate

• Rodney Pol – SD4
• Natasha Baker – SD22
• Kristina Moorhead – SD29

Indiana House of Representatives

• Ryan Kominakis – HD4
• Randy Novak – HD9
• Charles “Chuck” Moseley – HD10
• Racheal Bleicher – HD24
• Tiffany Stoner – HD25
• Sara Gullion – HD34
• Lindsay Gramlich – HD39
• William Colteryahn – HD40
• Amy Huffman Oliver – HD62
• Wendy Dant Chesser – HD71
• Michele “Shelly” Henry – HD72
• Stephanie Jo Yocum – HD88
• Jarren Hurt – HD91

Editor’s note: All candidates listed here are Democrats.

The candidate list reflects the Summit’s Nov. 4 election update and remains subject to final election results. The race between Indiana Rural Summit candidate Nick Marshall and Senator Chris Garten, the Republicans’ choice for President Pro Tem, is currently under review and ballots are being recounted.

In the 2026 election, four Democratic challengers defeated sitting committee chairs in the Indiana General Assembly:

• Natasha Baker (Indiana Senate District 22) defeated Sen. Ron Alting (Public Policy Committee, 28 years in office).
• Ryan Kominakis (Indiana House District 4) defeated Rep. Ed Soliday (Utilities, Energy & Telecommunications Committee, 20 years).
• Stephanie Jo Yocum (Indiana House District 88) defeated Rep. Chris Jeter (Judiciary Committee, six years).
• Indiana Rural Summit-recruited Jarren Hurt (Indiana House District 91) defeated Rep. Bob Behning (Education Committee, 34 years).

Together, these four incumbents represented 88 years of legislative service. Two additional Democratic challengers defeated Republican legislative leaders:

• William Colteryahn (Indiana House District 40) unseated Rep. Greg Steuerwald (House Republican Caucus Chair, 19 years).
• Tiffany Stoner (Indiana House District 25) defeated Rep. Becky Cash (Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee Vice Chair, four years).

In total, six Indiana Rural Summit Democratic challengers defeated Republican incumbents holding legislative leadership positions, demonstrating that even long-established incumbents in positions of power can be held accountable at the ballot box.

“Perhaps the most significant story isn’t simply who won, but how far districts moved,” Higgs said. “In House District 71, Wendy Dant Chesser received 63.6 percent of the vote, producing a Democratic victory margin of 27.2 percentage points. In House District 62, Amy Huffman Oliver received 59.3 percent, winning by 18.6 percentage points. Across our coalition, candidates in some of Indiana’s most difficult districts made measurable gains, even when they did not win their seats.”

One of the Indiana Rural Summit’s central strategies was built on a simple idea: candidates are stronger when campaigns work together rather than compete for limited resources. The Indiana Rural Summit created regional networks known as Power Packs that could share volunteers, visibility, organizing capacity, and voter engagement. That strategy helped propel candidates across the finish line and make races around the state more competitive.

“The relationships built this election, the volunteers activated, the candidates developed, and the communities engaged are the foundation for the next chapter,” Higgs said.