The primary is a little more than two weeks away, but the race for Indiana Senate District 38 has already become one of the most closely watched contests in the state.
What began as a local Republican primary in the Terre Haute–Vigo County area has quickly turned into a political firestorm involving ballot challenges, White House outreach, state government contacts, and questions about how far party insiders are willing to go to shape the outcome of a legislative race.
In an interview with Indy Politics, candidate Alexandra Wilson laid out her version of events and the reasons she entered the race in the first place.
Wilson said she decided to run because of local concerns, particularly the proposed Vigo County school corporation mega-school project, which she said could ultimately drive up taxes for county residents.
“There are concerns and one of the issues going on right now, as well as a plan for CO₂ dumping in the Northwest County, and those people are just not being listened to,” Wilson said.
According to Wilson, it did not take long after announcing her candidacy for outside pressure to begin.
She said she received multiple calls and text messages from individuals connected to the White House political affairs operation, including people she identified as James Blair and Matt Brasseaux, as well as outreach from Indiana officials, including Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and members of Gov. Mike Braun’s team.
Wilson said those contacts centered on efforts to persuade her to withdraw from the race, including discussions about possible appointments to boards and commissions or other state positions.
“I was curious as to what they had to offer, just like anybody else would be,” Wilson said. “But it had to be something that would trump my concern for my district and why I wanted to join here.”
The race then moved from behind-the-scenes pressure to an open legal and political fight when Wilson’s candidacy was challenged based on a legal issue from when she was 19 years old.
Wilson strongly disputed the characterization that she is a convicted felon.
“I’ve never been convicted of a felony. I never pled to a felony conviction,” she said during the interview.
That challenge ultimately went before the election board, which deadlocked 2-2, allowing Wilson to remain on the ballot.
Wilson also pushed back on suggestions that she entered the race as a “plant” because fellow candidate Brenda Wilson shares her last name.
“I think it’s totally ridiculous,” she said, adding that voters are more than capable of distinguishing between candidates and making informed decisions.
For Wilson, the race has now become about more than a Senate seat.
It has also become a test of resilience.
At the time of the interview, Wilson said she was eight and a half months pregnant and continuing to campaign while navigating the legal and political turmoil surrounding her candidacy.
She said the support she has received from voters and even people outside Indiana has reinforced her decision to stay in the race.
You can hear Wilson in the audio above. It runs about 27 minutes.
