National political analyst Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics has been looking at the Indiana Attorney General’s race and found it becoming more competitive.
According to the report, the Indiana Attorney General’s race is the only 2024 AG race to prompt a ratings shift so far from Safe Republican to Lean Republican.
The report also stated the following…
- Rokita has been highly visible, and controversial, particularly for pursuing sanctions against a physician who spoke to the media about the case of a 10-year-old rape victim that attracted national attention. Televised comments Rokita made about the physician later drew him a reprimand from the Indiana Supreme Court, making him the second consecutive Republican AG in the state to be reprimanded by the court. In turn, Rokita has adopted a Trumpian, bare-knuckled response.
- Establishment Republicans already weren’t thrilled with Rokita, and it’s possible he could get intra-party opposition in the Republican nominating convention. Rokita himself became the GOP nominee in 2020 by securing the convention nod over Curtis Hill. Hill is currently running for governor but could drop back into the AG race. Alternately, a more pragmatic Republican could seek the convention nod.
- However the GOP primary plays out, the Democrats are expecting to have a credible nominee. The early frontrunner has been Destiny Wells, an Afghanistan War veteran and attorney who lost to Republican Diego Morales in the 2022 secretary of state contest. Entering the race more recently is Beth White, the former elected clerk in Marion County.
- Either Democrat would receive significant party support, because the AG race is expected to be Indiana’s marquee race in 2024, more than even the gubernatorial and Senate contests.
- It would be a heavy lift for any Democrat to beat Rokita—no Democrat has won a statewide contest in Indiana since 2012—but a Democratic win is no longer outside the realm of possibility.
