Whoever Wins Carson's Seat Has Two Months To Win Again

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(INDIANAPOLIS) - Voters in Indiana’s Seventh Congressional District choose a successor Tuesday to the late Julia Carson, but the winner may not be in Congress for long. Tuesday’s special election is just the start of a political drama in three acts.

Act two is Indiana's May primary, in which Democrat Andre Carson, Julia's grandson, must face seven challengers for the right to a full two-year term.

Republican Jon Elrod has two primary opponents. The winners of that election square off in November.

IUPUI political analyst Brian Vargus notes Tuesday's winner will have only a negligible record to run on when the primary arrives two months later.

Carson's primary challengers include Indianapolis State Reps. David Orentlicher and Carolene Mays and former State Health Commissioner Woodrow Myers, all of whom are likely to be well-funded.

And if Elrod wins, he'll still be a Republican running in a Democratic district in November.

In 1981, Democrat Katie Hall won a special election after the death of First District Congressman Adam Benjamin, only to lose a primary eight months later to Pete Visclosky, who's held the seat ever since.

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