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Federal level · Current term

Indiana

Indiana’s congressional delegation

statements analyzed
12,184
officials covered
11
last updated
Oct 28, 2026

What each party owns

Democrats name Health, Public Finance and Labor more often than Republicans do; Republicans name Armed Forces and Commerce more often. Health is named in 21.1% of Democrats’ policy statements and 12.2% of Republicans’, a gap of 8.9 points; Armed Forces and National Security in 26.2% of Republicans’ and 14.4% of Democrats’, a gap of 11.8 points. On 7 of the 25 areas the two parties are within one point of each other.

Each bar is the share of Democrats’ policy statements that name an area minus the share of Republicans’ that do, in percentage points, among 11 members of Indiana’s congressional delegation in the current term. Bars to the right are areas Democrats name more often; bars to the left, areas Republicans name more often. The AI model tags each policy statement with any of the Congressional Research Service’s 25 policy areas. The figures beside each bar are both parties’ shares.

Policy areas, Democrats minus Republicans

Share of policy statements naming each area, members of Congress, the current term, sorted by the gap

← Republicans say moreDemocrats say more →−5 pts−10 pts+5 pts+10 ptsHealth: Democrats 21.1%, Republicans 12.2%; gap +8.9 pointsHealth+8.9D 21% · R 12%Economics and Public Finance: Democrats 22.8%, Republicans 14.1%; gap +8.7 pointsPublic Finance+8.7D 23% · R 14%Labor and Employment: Democrats 11.1%, Republicans 6.5%; gap +4.6 pointsLabor+4.6D 11% · R 6.5%Emergency Management: Democrats 7.5%, Republicans 3.5%; gap +4.0 pointsEmergencies+4.0D 7.5% · R 3.5%Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues: Democrats 10.3%, Republicans 7.0%; gap +3.4 pointsCivil Rights+3.4D 10% · R 7.0%Environmental Protection: Democrats 4.5%, Republicans 2.1%; gap +2.4 pointsEnvironment+2.4D 4.5% · R 2.1%Transportation and Public Works: Democrats 9.1%, Republicans 7.5%; gap +1.5 pointsTransportation+1.5D 9.1% · R 7.5%Housing and Community Development: Democrats 4.6%, Republicans 3.4%; gap +1.2 pointsHousing+1.2D 4.6% · R 3.4%Water Resources Development: Democrats 2.4%, Republicans 1.3%; gap +1.1 pointsWater+1.1D 2.4% · R 1.3%Government Operations and Politics: Democrats 17.0%, Republicans 16.0%; gap +1.0 pointsGovernment+1.0D 17% · R 16%Energy: Democrats 7.1%, Republicans 6.2%; gap +0.9 pointsEnergy+0.9D 7.1% · R 6.2%Law: Democrats 3.0%, Republicans 2.3%; gap +0.7 pointsLaw+0.7D 3.0% · R 2.3%Education: Democrats 8.9%, Republicans 8.6%; gap +0.3 pointsEducation+0.3D 8.9% · R 8.6%Foreign Trade and International Finance: Democrats 4.1%, Republicans 4.4%; gap −0.3 pointsForeign Trade−0.3D 4.1% · R 4.4%Public Lands and Natural Resources: Democrats 1.2%, Republicans 1.7%; gap −0.4 pointsPublic Lands−0.4D 1.2% · R 1.7%Families: Democrats 3.3%, Republicans 3.9%; gap −0.6 pointsFamilies−0.6D 3.3% · R 3.9%Agriculture and Food: Democrats 7.8%, Republicans 8.8%; gap −0.9 pointsAgriculture−0.9D 7.8% · R 8.8%Finance and Financial Sector: Democrats 0.9%, Republicans 2.8%; gap −1.9 pointsFinance−1.9D 0.9% · R 2.8%Immigration: Democrats 9.9%, Republicans 11.9%; gap −1.9 pointsImmigration−1.9D 9.9% · R 12%Crime and Law Enforcement: Democrats 7.4%, Republicans 9.5%; gap −2.0 pointsCrime−2.0D 7.4% · R 9.5%International Affairs: Democrats 5.3%, Republicans 9.2%; gap −4.0 pointsIntl. Affairs−4.0D 5.3% · R 9.2%Taxation: Democrats 4.2%, Republicans 8.2%; gap −4.0 pointsTaxation−4.0D 4.2% · R 8.2%Science, Technology, Communications: Democrats 5.9%, Republicans 10.6%; gap −4.7 pointsScience and Tech−4.7D 5.9% · R 11%Commerce: Democrats 5.4%, Republicans 12.1%; gap −6.6 pointsCommerce−6.6D 5.4% · R 12%Armed Forces and National Security: Democrats 14.4%, Republicans 26.2%; gap −11.8 pointsArmed Forces−11.8D 14% · R 26%
Show the data
Diverging bars for 25 policy areas: Democrats’ share minus Republicans’ share of policy statements, the current term. Democrats name Health (8.9 points more), Economics and Public Finance (8.7 points more), Labor and Employment (4.6 points more) more often; Republicans name Armed Forces and National Security (11.8 points more), Commerce (6.7 points more) more often.
Policy areaDemocratsRepublicansGap, D − R (points)
Health21.1%12.2%+8.9
Economics and Public Finance22.8%14.1%+8.7
Labor and Employment11.1%6.5%+4.6
Emergency Management7.5%3.5%+4.0
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues10.3%7.0%+3.4
Environmental Protection4.5%2.1%+2.4
Transportation and Public Works9.1%7.5%+1.5
Housing and Community Development4.6%3.4%+1.2
Water Resources Development2.4%1.3%+1.1
Government Operations and Politics17.0%16.0%+1.0
Energy7.1%6.2%+0.9
Law3.0%2.3%+0.7
Education8.9%8.6%+0.3
Foreign Trade and International Finance4.1%4.4%−0.3
Public Lands and Natural Resources1.2%1.7%−0.4
Families3.3%3.9%−0.6
Agriculture and Food7.8%8.8%−0.9
Finance and Financial Sector0.9%2.8%−1.9
Immigration9.9%11.9%−1.9
Crime and Law Enforcement7.4%9.5%−2.0
International Affairs5.3%9.2%−4.0
Taxation4.2%8.2%−4.0
Science, Technology, Communications5.9%10.6%−4.7
Commerce5.4%12.1%−6.6
Armed Forces and National Security14.4%26.2%−11.8
Notes

Armed Forces and National Security is the most-named area overall (24.7% of policy statements). Each side’s leading areas, labelled in its colour, are those at least one point apart and within half of that side’s widest gap, up to three.

Back to topNext: Who stands out

Who stands out

The five highest rates on four kinds of statement among 11 members of Indiana’s congressional delegation. An official needs at least 50 statements in the current term to be ranked.

An AI model labels every statement. An official’s rate is the share of their statements that carry a label.

Most personal attacks

Overtly questions a named person’s character, integrity or loyalty, or calls them names. Criticising a record or a policy does not count.

  1. 1Victoria SpartzRU.S. House · IN-054.1%
  2. 2André CarsonDU.S. House · IN-073.3%
  3. 3Jim BanksRU.S. Senate · Indiana3.0%
  4. 4Rudy YakymRU.S. House · IN-022.5%
  5. 5Marlin StutzmanRU.S. House · IN-032.1%

Most credit claiming

Claims credit for passing legislation, securing funding or grants, or other accomplishments in office.

  1. 1Erin HouchinRU.S. House · IN-0942%
  2. 2Todd YoungRU.S. Senate · Indiana41%
  3. 3Rudy YakymRU.S. House · IN-0237%
  4. 4James BairdRU.S. House · IN-0437%
  5. 5Jim BanksRU.S. Senate · Indiana33%

Most bipartisan language

Emphasises working across the aisle, compromise or common ground between the parties.

  1. 1Todd YoungRU.S. Senate · Indiana15%
  2. 2Frank MrvanDU.S. House · IN-0113%
  3. 3André CarsonDU.S. House · IN-0711%
  4. 4Erin HouchinRU.S. House · IN-0910.0%
  5. 5Rudy YakymRU.S. House · IN-025.7%

Most policy-focused

Discusses a specific public policy or policy area (health care, taxes, defense, …).

  1. 1Jefferson ShreveRU.S. House · IN-0678%
  2. 2André CarsonDU.S. House · IN-0777%
  3. 3Marlin StutzmanRU.S. House · IN-0371%
  4. 4Todd YoungRU.S. Senate · Indiana70%
  5. 5Erin HouchinRU.S. House · IN-0968%

Each official’s rates are on their profile and in the bulk file.

Back to topNext: Party comparison

Party comparison

Democrats criticize policies 2.5 times as often as Republicans (27% of statements against 11%). 2.3% of Republican and 2.9% of Democratic statements carry an extreme label, most often aimed at Democrats.

Each bar is the share of a party’s statements that carry a label, pooled across 11 members of Indiana’s congressional delegation in the current term. Officials who post more count more. A statement can carry several labels, so a party’s shares can sum to more than 100%.

Statements by label and party

Share of each party’s statements, the current term

  • Personal attacks
  • Policy criticism
  • Policy discussion
  • Bipartisanship
  • Credit claiming
  • Extreme labels
Show the data
Share of statements in each category by party, Indiana: Personal attacks Democrats 2.3%, Republicans 1.6%; Policy criticism Democrats 27%, Republicans 11%; Policy discussion Democrats 73%, Republicans 66%; Bipartisanship Democrats 12%, Republicans 6.8%; Credit claiming Democrats 28%, Republicans 34%; Extreme labels Democrats 2.9%, Republicans 2.3%.
MeasureDemocratsRepublicans
Personal attacks2.3%1.6%
Policy criticism27%11%
Policy discussion73%66%
Bipartisanship12%6.8%
Credit claiming28%34%
Extreme labels2.9%2.3%
The measures

Personal attacks. Overtly questions a named person’s character, integrity or loyalty, or calls them names. Criticising a record or a policy does not count.

Policy criticism. Objects to a specific policy, law or court ruling with fact-based arguments, without personal attacks or emotional appeals.

Policy discussion. Discusses a specific public policy or policy area (health care, taxes, defense, …).

Bipartisanship. Emphasises working across the aisle, compromise or common ground between the parties.

Credit claiming. Claims credit for passing legislation, securing funding or grants, or other accomplishments in office.

Extreme labels. Calls a politician, a party or a policy “far left”, “far right”, “MAGA”, “extreme”, “radical”, “woke”, “fascist” or “communist”.

Personal attacks by venue

Share of statements by 11 members of Indiana’s congressional delegation, the current term

Democrats’ personal-attack rate changes more with the venue than Republicans’. Democrats run from 1.0% of their floor speeches to 10.5% of their newsletters; Republicans from 1.0% of their press releases to 3.5% of their newsletters.

0%5%10%15%Posts on X10,187 statementsPress releases976 statementsNewsletters456 statementsFloor speeches565 statements1.7%4.0%10.5%1.0%DemocratsDemocrats1.5%1.0%3.5%2.4%RepublicansRepublicans
Show the data
Slope chart of each party’s personal-attack rate across four venues, the current term. Democrats: posts on x 1.7%, press releases 4.0%, newsletters 10.5%, floor speeches 1.0%. Republicans: posts on x 1.5%, press releases 1.0%, newsletters 3.5%, floor speeches 2.4%.
VenueDemocrats: personal attacksDemocrats: statementsRepublicans: personal attacksRepublicans: statements
Posts on X1.7%11051.5%9082
Press releases4.0%1761.0%800
Newsletters10.5%573.5%399
Floor speeches1.0%972.4%468
Notes

Each point is the share of a party’s statements in one venue that the AI model labelled a personal attack, pooled across members. A line joins each party’s four venues. A statement counts once and carries the label if any of its passages does.

Posts on X are 84% of the 12,184 statements here, so the pooled rates elsewhere on this page sit closest to the X points.

A party needs 50 statements in a venue before its point is drawn.

Back to topNext: Polarization

Polarization

The median Democrat scores −0.87 and the median Republican +1.06 on the CSIP scale, a gap of 1.92. The gap held steady from 1.69 in the 113th Congress to 1.69 in the 115th Congress.

CSIP, the lab’s Common-Space Ideal Point, places every official on one left–right scale estimated from roll-call votes, campaign contributions and the text of their statements. Negative scores are to the left and positive scores to the right. The gap is the distance between the two parties’ medians.

CSIP scores by party

← More liberal · 0 · More conservative →

−2.0−1.00.0+1.0+2.0← More liberalMore conservative →Democratsmedian −0.9Republicansmedian +1.1
Show the data
CSIP distributions of 2 Democrats (median −0.87) and 9 Republicans (median +1.06) on one scale from −2 to +2.
GroupOfficialsMedian
Democrats2−0.9
Republicans9+1.1

Medians: Democrats −0.87, Republicans +1.06. Gap: 1.92.

Gap between the party medians

Members of each Congress

113th Congress (2013–14): 1.691.69113th114th Congress (2015–16): 1.691.69114th115th Congress (2017–18): 1.691.69115th
Show the data
Gap between the Democratic and Republican CSIP medians: 113th Congress (2013–14) 1.69, 114th Congress (2015–16) 1.69, 115th Congress (2017–18) 1.69.
ItemValue
113th Congress (2013–14)1.69
114th Congress (2015–16)1.69
115th Congress (2017–18)1.69
Notes

Each dot is one official, blue left of 0 and red right of 0, darker further from 0. Overlapping dots form darker patches where officials cluster. The rule in each row marks the party median.

Each official has a single score for 2014–2026, so the gap changes over time only as the membership of Congress turns over.

Each official’s score is on their profile, and the full table is in Downloads.

Back to topNext: Trends

Policy topics

Armed Forces and National Security led in Sep ’26, named in 19% of policy statements. Government Operations and Politics rose most from Aug ’26 (+9.3 pts); Emergency Management fell most (−17 pts).

The AI model tags each policy statement with any of 25 policy areas, so shares can sum to more than 100%. A share is the percentage of a month’s policy statements by members of Congress that name the area. The lists compare the last two complete months, with changes in percentage points. A month needs at least ten policy statements to be compared.

Most discussed, Sep ’26

590 policy statements; change since Aug ’26 in grey

  1. Armed Forces and National Security19% −0.5 pts
  2. Government Operations and Politics19% +9.3 pts
  3. Science, Technology, Communications14% +4.5 pts
  4. Immigration13% +4.4 pts
  5. Commerce13% −2.1 pts

Rising

Up most since Aug ’26

  1. Government Operations and Politics+9.3 pts
  2. Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues+5.2 pts
  3. Science, Technology, Communications+4.5 pts

Falling

Down most since Aug ’26

  1. Emergency Management−17 pts
  2. Agriculture and Food−7.4 pts
  3. Foreign Trade and International Finance−3.6 pts

Back to topNext: States

States

The state maps are on the United States dashboard.

The left map is the share of statements by each state’s congressional delegation that the AI model labelled a personal attack, the current term (members of Congress, by the state they represent). The right map is the lab’s survey estimate of affective polarization in each state: residents’ rating of their own party minus their rating of the other, on a 0–100 thermometer. Each state is a square of the same size, shaded by quintile; darker is higher.

The two maps are on the United States dashboard.

Back to topNext: Challengers

Challengers and incumbents

Challengers post personal attacks more often than the incumbents they face. On posts on X since Oct 1, 2025, the median challenger’s rate is 1.7% and the median incumbent’s 0.9%; 3 of 6 challengers post personal attacks more often than the incumbent they face and 2 less often, across 5 House and Senate races with both sides measured.

Every 2026 House and Senate race with an incumbent running and at least one challenger. A candidate’s rate is the share of their posts on X that the AI model labelled a personal attack. Both sides are measured over the same months, since Oct 1, 2025, and incumbents’ press releases, newsletters and floor speeches are excluded. Candidates with fewer than 10 posts are left out.

Incumbents and challengers

Personal attacks, share of posts on X · 5 incumbents, 6 challengers · rates above 20% are drawn at the edge

0%5%10%15%20%+Incumbentsmedian 0.9%Challengersmedian 1.7%
Show the data
Every candidate in the comparison
RaceCandidatePartyStatusPosts on XPersonal attacks
Indiana 1st DistrictFrank MrvanDemocratsIncumbent2310.9%
Indiana 1st DistrictBarb RegnitzRepublicansChallenger1213.3%
Indiana 3rd DistrictMarlin StutzmanRepublicansIncumbent5932.2%
Indiana 3rd DistrictKelly ThompsonDemocratsChallenger3415.6%
Indiana 3rd DistrictMarlin StutzmanRepublicansChallenger510.0%
Indiana 4th DistrictJames BairdRepublicansIncumbent5100.0%
Indiana 4th DistrictDrew CoxDemocratsChallenger1234.9%
Indiana 5th DistrictVictoria SpartzRepublicansIncumbent2712.2%
Indiana 5th DistrictJ.D. FordDemocratsChallenger850.0%
Indiana 9th DistrictErin HouchinRepublicansIncumbent4600.0%
Indiana 9th DistrictBradley MeyerDemocratsChallenger2290.0%

Both are measured on posts on X since Oct 1, 2025.

The races with the widest gaps

Each incumbent (outlined) and the challenger whose rate differs most, personal attacks as a share of posts on X

Indiana 4th District

James Baird (R), 510 posts · Drew Cox (D), 123 posts

Indiana 3rd District

Marlin Stutzman (R), 593 posts · Kelly Thompson (D), 341 posts

Indiana 1st District

Frank Mrvan (D), 231 posts · Barb Regnitz (R), 121 posts

Indiana 5th District

Victoria Spartz (R), 271 posts · J.D. Ford (D), 85 posts

Indiana 9th District

Erin Houchin (R), 460 posts · Bradley Meyer (D), 229 posts

Show the data
The races shown, incumbent and challenger
RaceIncumbentRatePostsChallengerRatePostsGap (points)
Indiana 4th DistrictJames Baird (Republican)0.0%510Drew Cox (Democrat)4.9%123+4.9
Indiana 3rd DistrictMarlin Stutzman (Republican)2.2%593Kelly Thompson (Democrat)5.6%341+3.4
Indiana 1st DistrictFrank Mrvan (Democrat)0.9%231Barb Regnitz (Republican)3.3%121+2.4
Indiana 5th DistrictVictoria Spartz (Republican)2.2%271J.D. Ford (Democrat)0.0%85−2.2
Indiana 9th DistrictErin Houchin (Republican)0.0%460Bradley Meyer (Democrat)0.0%2290.0

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