The Race
Indiana's 1st Congressional District covers northwest Indiana -- Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, Michigan City, Valparaiso. Cook PVI is D+1, making this Indiana's only competitive Democratic-held seat. Incumbent Frank Mrvan (D) won 53.4% in 2024. [1]
For the two leading candidates, see:
Democratic Primary
LaVetta Sparks-Wade
Former Gary Common Council member, MPA, community advocate
LaVetta Sparks-Wade holds a B.S. in Political Science from Tuskegee University and a Master of Public Administration from Indiana University Northwest. She served on the Gary Common Council representing the 6th District from 2016 to 2019, where she was an outspoken critic of the Freeman-Wilson administration and uncovered alleged misuse of $4.8 million from the Gary Fire Department EMS fund. [2]
Her professional background includes 15 years managing the Indiana Department of Child Services division (1994-2009), serving as President and CEO of Integrity Solutions (a Nashville-based corporate training firm), and a stint as Director of Parks for the City of Gary under Mayor Eddie Melton in 2024. She departed the parks role after a controversy over supplemental pay from a summer youth employment program fund. [3]
Her campaign criticizes Mrvan for voting with Republicans on H.R. 3486, mandatory sentencing for asylum seekers -- which the ACLU called "one of the most extreme federal sentencing expansions in recent history." She focuses on utility costs and protecting constitutional rights. [4]
Fundraising: No FEC-reported campaign finance data as of December 31, 2025. [5]
Endorsements: None publicly documented.
Republican Primary
David Ben Ruiz
Small business owner, Schererville, third consecutive IN-01 run
David Benyamin Ruiz is a sole proprietor of Elite MW Retail and Marketing, a sales/marketing/distribution contracting firm. He holds two Associate degrees from MacMurray College (Computer Science and Political Science). He describes himself as a "moderate conservative" and "America First/MAGA" candidate. [6]
This is his third consecutive run for IN-01. He received 3.4% in the 2022 Republican primary and 14.4% in the 2024 Republican primary. He also ran for Indiana House District 2 in 2024, receiving 18.0%. [7]
His platform includes eliminating income and property taxes, term limits (signed U.S. Term Limits pledge), election integrity measures, domestic manufacturing, and opposition to abortion and gun restrictions. [6]
Fundraising: No significant FEC-reported totals. [5]
Endorsements: Randell Niemeyer (2024 GOP nominee for IN-01). [8]
James Schenke
Former journalist, Army veteran, Lafayette -- multiple legal issues
James K. Schenke has an unusually varied background: he holds a J.D. from IU McKinney School of Law, worked as a CNN International production assistant, served as Director of National Broadcast Media Relations at Purdue University, taught school, and served in the U.S. Army as a Public Affairs Specialist. He describes himself as "a soldier, a teacher, a journalist and a dad." [9]
In 2024, he ran unopposed in the Republican primary for Indiana House District 26, then lost the general election to Democrat Chris Campbell by 28 points (35.9% to 64.1%). [10]
Schenke carries significant baggage. He was arrested in November 2024 -- the day before the general election -- for violating a court-issued protective order via a social media comment. Court records indicate a prior misdemeanor conviction for violating a no-contact order protecting his wife. In March 2026, he was arrested again in Valparaiso for driving on a suspended license and without insurance. During his 2024 state house campaign, he backed his campaign RV into a lamppost in West Lafayette, knocked it over, and left the scene -- receiving a citation for leaving the scene of a property damage crash and driving without insurance. [11]
He was present on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, though he claims he did not enter the building. He has promoted unsubstantiated claims about 3,000 late-arriving mail-in ballots in Tippecanoe County in 2020, which was directly contradicted by County Clerk Julie Roush, who documented only 633 overseas/military ballots. [12]
A residency question hangs over his candidacy: he has been based in West Lafayette (IN-04) and stated in early 2026 that he was "working with a buyer's agent to move into the district" (the Miller Beach area of Gary). [9]
Fundraising (through Dec 31, 2025): $48,878 raised ($47,143 from individual contributions, $1,735 self-contributed). Cash on hand: $6,228. Debts: $21,731. [5]
Endorsements: None documented.