Overview
These four Indiana House districts share a common structural feature: each has exactly one Republican and one Democrat filed, meaning neither party has a contested primary and both nominees are already known. The general election matchup is set. But the word "competitive" does not apply uniformly. Three of the four -- HD-41, HD-47, and HD-50 -- are deep-red districts where the Republican incumbent has won by margins exceeding 70% in every recent cycle. The fourth, HD-43, is the most interesting race in this batch: a Trump +3% district held by a four-term Democrat who faces a credentialed Republican challenger for the first time since 2022.
HD-41: Mark Genda (R) vs. Jackson Hayes (D)
District Profile
House District 41 spans portions of four counties -- Boone, Clinton, Montgomery, and Tippecanoe -- in west-central Indiana. The district includes southeastern Tippecanoe County (near Lafayette), Clinton County (including Frankfort, the county seat), and rural stretches of Boone and Montgomery counties. This is agricultural and small-town Indiana. [1]
The seat has been held by Republicans without interruption for decades. Before Genda, Timothy Brown represented the district from at least 2016 through 2022. In every general election since redistricting, the Republican nominee has won with at least 73% of the vote. No Democrat has come within 46 points of winning. [1]
Mark Genda (R, Incumbent)
Funeral director, small business owner, Frankfort
Mark Genda, born in Frankfort, Indiana, graduated from Frankfort High School in 1981 and earned an associate degree in mortuary science from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in 1984. He spent more than 30 years as the owner of Genda Funeral Homes, operating locations in Flora, Frankfort, Rossville, and Mulberry. He sold the funeral homes upon taking office to focus on his legislative career. He currently owns Genda Rentals in Frankfort. [2]
Genda was first elected in 2022 and won re-election in 2024 with 73.1% of the vote against Democrat Dan Sikes. He serves as Vice Chair of the Natural Resources Committee, and sits on the Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development Committee and the Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee. [1] [2]
Before entering the legislature, Genda served two terms (eight years) on the Community Schools of Frankfort Board of Trustees, where he served as president. His community involvement is extensive: Boys and Girls Club of Clinton County, Frankfort Optimist Club, Mulberry Community Club, Masonic Lodge, Moose Lodge, Red Barn Theatre, and Clinton County Civic Theatre. He holds lifetime memberships in the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #69 and the NRA. He is a member of St. Matthew United Methodist Church. [2]
Platform: Genda describes himself as pro-life and a supporter of local government autonomy. His legislative priorities include workforce development, housing initiatives (including workforce housing near Lebanon's LEAP district), childcare access for workers, and trade school diploma pathways. He favors a free-market approach to housing affordability and has advocated for adding a legislative position to the IEDC board for project oversight. [3]
Jackson Hayes (D, Challenger)
Jackson T. Hayes filed for the Democratic primary on January 15, 2026. [4] No biographical information, campaign website, or public platform could be located as of this analysis. Hayes appears to be a placeholder or first-time candidate without a visible campaign operation. This is not unusual in Indiana House districts where the opposing party has no realistic path to victory -- the filing itself serves a structural function, ensuring the party has a name on the November ballot.
Race Assessment
This is not a competitive race. Genda has won both of his general elections with over 73% of the vote, consistent with the district's deep Republican lean. Hayes is functionally an unknown candidate with no detectable campaign infrastructure. The outcome is predetermined barring extraordinary circumstances.
HD-43: Tonya Pfaff (D) vs. Amy Lore (R)
District Profile
House District 43 sits in Vigo County, covering Terre Haute, West Terre Haute, and Seelyville. Terre Haute is a small city of roughly 58,000 people anchored by Indiana State University, and the district reflects a mix of working-class neighborhoods, university influence, and suburban-rural fringe. [5]
This is the most noteworthy race in this batch. The district voted for Trump by approximately 3 points in 2024, yet has been held by a Democrat since 2018 -- one of only three House seats where a Democrat holds a Trump-won district. [5] Pfaff has won every general election she has run in, but her margins have come from consistent personal vote-getting in a district that is not structurally Democratic. In 2024, she ran unopposed. In 2022, she won 58.4% against a Republican challenger. In 2020, she won 57.5%. In 2018, her initial victory, she won 59.2%. [5]
The fact that Republicans did not field a candidate in 2024 but are fielding a credentialed one in 2026 makes this the only genuinely interesting general election among these four districts.
Tonya Pfaff (D, Incumbent)
Retired math teacher, Terre Haute
Tonya Pfaff is a native of Terre Haute, the daughter of Nancy and Fred Nation. She attended St. Ann School, graduated from Terre Haute North Vigo High School, and was recruited to play basketball at West Point Military Academy. After 18 months at West Point, she transferred to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, where she earned a B.A. in mathematics and secondary education. She later earned an M.A. in educational administration, curriculum, and supervision from the University of Oklahoma. [6]
Pfaff spent a year teaching English in Tajimi, Japan -- Terre Haute's sister city -- before beginning a 32-year career teaching high school math in Vigo County: three years at Terre Haute South Vigo, 15 years at West Vigo High School, and 14 years at Terre Haute North Vigo. She was the only active classroom teacher in the Indiana State Legislature until her retirement from teaching in May 2025. [6] [7]
She married Chris Pfaff, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and Indiana University graduate, in 1994. They have four children: Griffin (Purdue graduate, Air Force pilot), Anne (Indiana University, environmental focus), Greta (Indiana State University), and Kate (Indiana University senior). [6]
First elected in 2018, Pfaff is now seeking her fifth term. She ran unopposed in 2024 and had $38,279 in cash on hand prior to the 2024 primary. [5] [8]
Platform: Education is Pfaff's signature issue, grounded in three decades of firsthand classroom experience. She advocates for robust K-12 funding, increased support for Indiana State University and Ivy Tech, competitive teacher compensation to reverse the state's teacher shortage, and opposition to voucher programs that redirect public funds to private schools. She has publicly criticized legislation that would eliminate degree programs based on graduate earnings, calling it "a dangerous path." Beyond education, her platform includes economic development and workforce retention in Terre Haute, infrastructure funding for state and county roads, and high-speed broadband access for all residents. [7]
Amy Lore (R, Challenger)
Vigo County School Board member, STEM nonprofit executive, Terre Haute
Amy Lore is a Terre Haute North High School graduate who earned both a bachelor's degree and a master's in public administration from Indiana State University. She has more than two decades of experience in communications and public policy, including service as an advisor and speechwriter to former Indiana Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman (who served 2005-2013). Her career has included positions in the defense industry, economic development, and health care. She currently serves as Senior Director of Government Relations for Project Lead The Way, a national nonprofit that provides PreK-12 STEM curriculum and professional development for teachers. [9] [10]
Lore was elected to the Vigo County School Board (District 1), re-elected in 2023, and has served two years as board president, where she focused on school facilities, responsible budgeting, and student-centered policies. She filed for the Republican nomination on February 4, 2026. She and her husband have two children. [9]
Platform: Lore says she is "running to strengthen our schools, grow economic opportunity, and ensure state government stays focused on serving the taxpayers who make our communities strong." Her background in education policy (through Project Lead The Way) and government experience (through the Skillman administration) give her a more substantive profile than the typical challenger in a down-ballot race. [9]
Race Assessment
HD-43 is the most competitive district in this batch and one of the few genuine Democratic holds in a Trump-won district statewide. Pfaff is a strong incumbent with deep local roots, union support, and a personal brand built on 32 years of teaching in the community's schools. But the district's rightward drift -- Trump winning by 3 points in 2024 -- creates structural headwinds, and Lore is the first Republican challenger since 2022 with genuine credentials in education policy. The contrast between the two candidates is not ideological caricature: both are Terre Haute natives, both are connected to education, and both are products of Indiana State University's ecosystem. This race will test whether Pfaff's incumbency advantage and personal vote can outrun the district's partisan lean in a midterm year.
HD-47: Robb Greene (R) vs. Michael Potter (D)
District Profile
House District 47 covers portions of Johnson and Shelby counties, south of Indianapolis. Johnson County includes the communities of Greenwood, Bargersville, and the Center Grove area -- fast-growing Indianapolis suburbs. Shelby County is more rural, anchored by Shelbyville. The district is solidly Republican: the incumbent has won every general election since 2016 with at least 71% of the vote, and the seat went uncontested in both 2020 and 2022. [11]
Robb Greene (R, Incumbent)
Logistics consultant, Indiana GOP executive director, Shelby County
Robb Greene graduated from Heritage Christian High School and earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Before entering politics, he was a tech entrepreneur in Indiana's startup community. He was a co-founding team member and Chief Operating Officer of ClusterTruck, a technology-driven ghost kitchen company based in Indianapolis. He currently works as a logistics consultant. [12]
Greene was first elected in 2022 after defeating longtime incumbent John Young in the Republican primary. He ran unopposed in the 2022 general election and won re-election in 2024 with 74.0% of the vote over Democrat Michael Potter. [11]
Greene serves on the Agriculture and Rural Development, Commerce Small Business and Economic Development, and Family Children and Human Affairs committees. His legislative focus includes disability advocacy (his son has autism, and Greene has championed ABA therapy accessibility in schools), agricultural right-to-repair, and infrastructure development. He has received Legislator of the Year awards from both the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities and the Arc of Shelby County for disability employment initiatives. [12]
He resides in western Shelby County with his wife Erin and three children: RG, Flora, and Lucy. The family operates a small farmstead. [12]
Dual role: In July 2025, Greene was named executive director of the Indiana Republican Party, replacing Josh Waddell, who joined Governor Mike Braun's office. Indiana Republican State Chairwoman Lana Keesling praised Greene's "incredible work for Hoosiers as a conservative leader." Greene continues to serve as state representative simultaneously. [13]
Michael Potter (D, Challenger)
Environmental geologist, Bargersville
Michael E. Potter is a lifelong Johnson County resident and Center Grove graduate (class of 1992). He earned a degree in geology and environmental science from Indiana University Indianapolis (1998) and a GIS certificate from the University of Southern California (2001). He also attended Butler University. [14]
Potter has spent more than 25 years as a licensed professional geologist and environmental science consultant, working at three global engineering and architecture firms. He specializes in identifying, characterizing, and remediating chemical contamination of soil, groundwater, lakes, and rivers, and responds to environmental emergencies such as train derailments and chemical spills. [14]
This is Potter's second run for the seat. He lost to Greene in 2024 by 48 points (26.0% to 74.0%). He filed again on January 7, 2026 -- the same day as Greene. [4] [11]
Potter is married to Blythe (who is running for Indiana Secretary of State on the Democratic ticket) and has three children. He is an accomplished endurance athlete who has completed more than 20 marathons. [14]
Platform: Potter's platform centers on environmental stewardship, including water rights legislation, environmental impact statements for new business developments, and water recycling programs. He is critical of the LEAP development district in Lebanon, arguing the legislature lacks scientific expertise to evaluate its environmental implications. He also opposes vouchers that redirect public school funding to private institutions and supports reproductive rights as a matter of medical privacy. [15]
Race Assessment
This is a rematch from 2024, and nothing structural has changed to suggest a different result. Greene won by 48 points last time, and the district's Republican lean has been consistent across every election cycle since redistricting. Greene's dual role as state representative and Indiana GOP executive director makes him an unusually well-connected incumbent. Potter's candidacy represents persistent Democratic participation in a district where the party has no path to victory under current conditions.
HD-50: Lorissa Sweet (R) vs. Pepper Snyder (D)
District Profile
House District 50 covers all of Huntington County and portions of Miami, Wabash, and Wells counties in northeast Indiana. This is rural, agricultural Indiana -- small towns, farm communities, and a landscape anchored by the city of Huntington (population roughly 17,000) and Wabash (population roughly 10,000). [16]
The district is deep red. Sweet has won both of her general elections with over 76% of the vote, and her predecessor Daniel Leonard won with 71.5% in 2020. No Democrat has come within 43 points of winning in any cycle since redistricting. [16]
Lorissa Sweet (R, Incumbent)
Small business owner, former county councilwoman, Wabash
Lorissa Sweet graduated from Maconoquah High School and earned a bachelor's degree in animal agribusiness from Purdue University in 2001. She is the owner of two businesses: Sweet Grooms, a professional pet grooming business she opened in 2009, and Sweet Occasions LLC, a rustic wedding decor rental business she launched in 2021. [17]
Before her election to the state House in 2022, Sweet served on the Wabash County Council from 2016 to 2022 -- six years of local government experience. She won her first state race with 77.6% of the vote in 2022 and was re-elected with 76.9% in 2024. [16] [17]
Sweet serves on the Agriculture and Rural Development, Family Children and Human Affairs, and Local Government committees -- assignments that align with her district's agricultural economy and small-town character. She resides in Wabash with her husband Jeremy and two adult daughters, Hally and Amelia. The family is active at College Corner Brethren Church, where they serve as leaders for faith-based youth and adult programs. [17]
Pepper Snyder (D, Challenger)
Huntington County resident, former Libertarian congressional candidate
Pepper Snyder filed for the Democratic primary on January 21, 2026. [4] Her most visible prior political activity was a 2016 run for Indiana's 3rd Congressional District as a Libertarian, in which she finished third behind Republican Jim Banks and Democrat Tommy Schrader. At that time, she described herself as an advocate for "individual liberty and fiscal responsibility." [18]
Snyder is a Huntington County resident. She and her husband Gary have seven children, and the family has served as foster parents. Gary Snyder ran as a Democrat for Indiana State Senate District 17 in 2018 and for Indiana's 3rd Congressional District in 2022, losing both races. The Snyder family appears to be a persistent if quixotic presence in northeast Indiana Democratic politics. [18]
No campaign website, platform statement, or biographical detail beyond the above could be located as of this analysis.
Race Assessment
HD-50 is not competitive. Sweet has won both of her races by margins exceeding 54 points, and the district's Republican lean makes any Democratic challenge purely nominal. Snyder's previous candidacy was as a Libertarian, and her switch to the Democratic line for a state House race in a 77% Republican district does not change the structural math. This is a ballot-presence filing, not a competitive campaign.