7th DISTRICT RACE: Longtime Congressman Andre Carson facing challengers from both sides of the political aisle

Denise Paul Hatch , a Democrat, worked on political campaigns for Sanders and Obama. She served as a constable for Center Township in 2022 and makes a campaign point out of carrying a criminal record, pleading guilty to two misdemeanors and a felony in Marion County Court related to unlawfully carrying a fire arms and disorderly conduct. Hatch said she has been “targeted by the powers that be” and wants to decriminalize marijuana, avoid unnecessary evictions and stop the destruction of property for evictees. Carson faces two Republican challengers. Patrick McAuley supported Rep. Jefferson Shreve in his unsuccessful run for Indianapolis mayor against victor Joe Hogsett. He looks to use the “current Republican Party’s platform” to secure financial resources for “infrastructure, public safety, housing and creating great jobs for the next generation,” his campaign website says. Republican Felipe Rios previously ran for state legislature for House District 94 and House District 99, and he is looking to ban same-sex marriage and oppose the Affordable Care Act. His campaign work has been relatively quiet, and the most recent campaign website TheStatehouseFile.com could find was from 2024. The key to ending Carson’s term lies in one strong challenger, Merrifield Wilson said—someone with success in office and connections. Although she is skeptical of his defeat, the five challengers are a sign of change for the Democratic “superminority” in Indiana, she said. The Democratic party could attract independents, moderates and potentially Republicans who are against the party’s current actions as they advocate for change in a red landscape that Hoosiers seem to be increasingly frustrated by. “The Democrats see this as an opportunity,” she said. “This might be the beginning of the resurrection for the Democrats in Indiana.”