Two-term U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz secured victory in a competitive Republican primary to retain her congressional seat, despite facing challenges after altering her stance on aid to Ukraine, her native country.
She defeated eight Republican opponents to secure her spot on the ballot in the fall election in a district strongly leaning Republican.
As the first and only Ukrainian-born House member, Spartz previously supported aid for Ukraine. However, ahead of the primary, she changed course and voted against a $61 billion aid package, emphasizing her priority to prioritize American interests. She argued for including policies regarding the U.S.-Mexico border in the aid bill, a stance similar to many of her Republican rivals.
The election in the northern suburbs of Indianapolis tested whether Spartz’s strategy would succeed.
Rep. Victoria Spartz (Via Riley Jacks/Shutterstock)
Her position was widely echoed by her competitors, including state Rep. Chuck Goodrich, who invested $4.6 million of his own funds into his campaign.
Goodrich criticized Spartz for her previous support of Ukraine, accusing her of prioritizing Ukraine over American interests. Despite being outspent and outraised by Goodrich, Spartz celebrated her victory, asserting that money and false claims do not determine election outcomes.
“My win in this election demonstrates to the American people and fellow Hoosiers that elections cannot be bought with money and deceit,” Spartz stated. “I am proud to represent Indiana and eager to continue working to steer our great Republic in the right direction.”
The primary marked another chapter in Spartz’s political journey. She narrowly won a tough primary in 2020 and faced no challenges for the GOP nomination in 2022. Initially planning to leave Congress last year, she opted against seeking reelection to her House seat and declined a chance to run for the Senate seat vacated by Republican Mike Braun.
