A New Political Party Could Disrupt Indiana's Solidly Republican Secretary of State Election

History · Published 6 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The 2026 Indiana Secretary of State race is shaping up to be a high-stakes contest. While Indiana is typically a Republican stronghold, the entry of former Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard under the new Lincoln Party banner has introduced significant uncertainty, potentially acting as a spoiler or even securing an outright victory.

The 2026 election, scheduled for November 3, 2026, features a crowded field of candidates vying for the office of Secretary of State. The incumbent Republican, Diego Morales, who has served since 2023, was eliminated at the Republican convention by Max Engling, a political aide who previously sought the IN-05 seat in 2024. Other notable figures in the race include Jamie Reitenour, a businesswoman and 2024 gubernatorial candidate, and David Shelton, the Knox County clerk and party chair who previously ran for this office in 2022. Andrew Ireland, a state representative, has also been involved in the political maneuvering by endorsing Engling.

The primary source of intrigue is Greg Ballard, the former Republican mayor of Indianapolis who served from 2008 to 2016. Ballard is running on the ticket of the newly formed Lincoln Party. His campaign is strategically focused on achieving specific electoral thresholds: securing 2% of the vote would grant the Lincoln Party official state status, while reaching 10% would allow the party to hold its own primary elections in the future. Ballard is drawing a diverse coalition of supporters, including Republicans disillusioned with the MAGA movement and Democrats dissatisfied with their own party establishment.

Observers view the race as highly competitive, with Ballard potentially influencing the outcome in favor of the Democratic candidate, Beau Bayh, an attorney and son of former Senator Evan Bayh. The presence of the Lincoln Party also complicates the path for Libertarian candidate Lauri Shillings, who previously ran for Indiana's 5th congressional district in 2024. Shillings requires 2% of the vote to maintain her party's ballot access, but she can no longer depend on being the sole destination for protest votes. The entry of Andrew Delano, a former mayoral candidate for Gary representing the National Socialist American Workers Party, further adds to the complexity of this unpredictable electoral landscape.

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