Although Hillary Clinton won his district in 2016 and he faces a primary challenger, Republican State Senator Mike Delph (District 29) tells Indy Politics he’s going to run for re-election.
Delph won the last three elections, however, his margins of victory have gotten smaller each time. He ran unopposed in 2006. In 2010 he beat Democrat Robin Shackleford by more than 7,000 votes. In 2014, that margin was reduced to more than 2,300 votes when he beat JD Ford.
Ford is running for the seat again and former Carmel Redevelopment Commission President Corrie Meyer is running against him in the primary. On top of that, Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump in the District, 52-40, six percent went to Libertarian Gary Johnson.
Despite being a district more to the left than him, Delph told Indy Politics this past summer in an interview it was hard work and constituent service that took him to victory.
“I do a lot of constituent work,” Delph told Indy Politics. “I listen to everyone. If you are doing this job right, you’re tired at the end of the day.”
I am very involved in the community,” Delph noted. “I know this is not a conservative district, but I get a lot of support through direct outreach. I listen to everyone and I always learn something from my constituents. And there are occasions where they change my mind.”
