By Andy East | The Republic
aeast@therepublic.com
Presumed frontrunners for the Republican and Democratic nominations for Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District had commanding victories in Bartholomew County Tuesday night.
The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana, who is seeking a second term in the same seat his brother, Vice President Mike Pence, held before a successful 2012 gubernatorial bid and joining Donald Trump’s presidential ticket in 2016.
In Bartholomew County, Pence, 63, received 8,657 votes, or 83.93% against GOP challenger Mike Campbell of Wayne County, who had 1,658 votes or 16.07%.
“To every Hoosier who supported me and my family in this primary election, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you,” Pence said in a statement, declaring victory. “Having lived my entire life in the Sixth District, I am honored to serve my friends and neighbors in the United States House of Representatives.”
On the Democratic side, Jeannine Lee Lake, 50, received over triple the votes of her two challengers in Bartholomew County, Barry Welsh of Hancock County and George T. Holland of Rush County.
Lake had received 3,796 votes, or 76.22% against Welsh, who had received 457 votes, 9.18% and Holland, with 727 votes, 14.6%.
“I just feel as if the tide is changing in the Sixth District and in Indiana,” Lake told The Republic. “…I appreciate the people of Indiana for allowing me to represent them in the Democratic Party for a second time. I’m going to do everything I possibly can to win. I’m going to everything I possibly can legally, ethically, morally, spiritually to unseat Greg Pence in the fall.”
Lake won the Democratic primary in 2018, but lost the general election to Pence, who received 154,260 votes, or 63.8% of the vote, according to the Indiana Election Division. Lake received 79,430 votes, or 32.9%. Libertarian candidate Tom Ferkinhoff received 8,030 votes, or 3.3%.
In Bartholomew County, Pence received 16,159 votes, 60.86%, while Lake received 9,606 votes, 36.18%, and Ferkinhoff received 782 votes, 2.95%. All sought political office for the first time in 2018.
How You Voted
Democratic presidential primary for Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District
Jeannine Lee Lake;3,796
George T. Holland;727
Barry Welsh;457
Republican presidential primary for Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District
Greg Pence;8,657
Mike Campbell;1,658
