2010 Indiana's 3rd congressional district election
November 2, 2010 (2010-11-02)
 
Nominee Marlin Stutzman Tom Hayhurst
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 115,415 60,880
Percentage 63% 33%
Indiana's 3rd congressional district at the time of the 2010 elections.
Representative before election

Mark Souder
Republican

 Elected Representative

Marlin Stutzman
Republican

The 2010 United States House of Representatives special election for Indiana's Third congressional district occurred on November 2, 2010 to elect the successor to Mark Souder (R) who resigned upon admitting to an extramarital affair. This election coincided with the regularly scheduled election.

Background

Two weeks after winning renomination, Souder resigned both from office as U.S. Representative and as the Republican nominee for the Third district following the revelation of an affair with Tracy Meadows Jackson, a married female staffer.[1] Governor Mitch Daniels (R), in the interest of cutting the costs of holding the election, scheduled the special election to succeed him to occur on the same day as the general election.[2]

Nominating caucuses

As per Indiana state law, the parties held caucuses within thirty days following Souder's resignation to choose their nominees for the special election.[3]

Republican

Republicans held their caucus on June 12. State Senator Marlin Stutzman, the runner-up in the Republican U.S. Senatorial primary, won the nomination decisively in the second round over state Representative Randy Borror, car salesman Bob Thomas, Fort Wayne City Councilwoman Liz Brown, and Ryan Elijah.

Republican caucus results (round 1)[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marlin Stutzman 180 44.34
Republican Randy Borror 67 16.5
Republican Liz Brown 46 11.33
Republican Ryan Elijah 43 10.59
Republican Bob Thomas 21 5.17
Republican Robert Morris 16 3.94
Republican Wes Culver 11 2.71
Republican Dennis Wright 11 2.71
Republican Mike Foster 5 1.23
Republican Joseph Schomburg 4 .99
Republican Rachel Grubb 1 .25
Republican Lonnie Powell 1 .25
Republican Greg Dickman 0 0
Republican Richard Thonert 0 0
Republican Scott Welsh 0 0
Total votes 406 100
Republican caucus results (round 2)[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marlin Stutzman 229 57.25
Republican Randy Borror 69 17.25
Republican Ryan Elijah 46 11.5
Republican Liz Brown 39 9.75
Republican Bob Thomas 17 4.25
Total votes 400 100

Democratic

Democrats choose former Fort Wayne city councilman Tom Hayhurst, who had won the Democratic primary for the general election earlier, as their nominee for the special election.

Libertarian

Tea Party activist and ex-Republican Scott W. Wise, also their nominee for the general election, was chosen as the Libertarian nominee for the special election.

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Marlin Stutzman (R) Tom Hayhurst (D) Scott Wise (L) Undecided
American Viewpoint July 19–20, 2010 400 ±4.9% 56% 29% 2% n/a
SurveyUSA October 21–25, 2010 400 ±4.9% 57% 32% 7% 2%
Riggs Research October 27–28, 2010 400 ±4.9% 36% 40% 3% n/a

Election results

Given the district's strong conservative bent, which at the time had a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+14, Stutzman, as predicted by many political prognosticators, handily won the simultaneous special and general elections in November.

Special election

2010 US House special election: Indiana 3[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Marlin Stutzman 115,415 62.65% +7.61
Democratic Tom Hayhurst 60,880 33.05% -6.65
Libertarian Scott W. Wise 7,914 4.3% -.96
Majority 54,535 29.6%
Turnout 184,209

General election

v US House election: Indiana 3[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Marlin Stutzman 116,140 62.76% +7.72%
Democratic Tom Hayhurst 61,267 33.11% -6.59%
Libertarian Scott W. Wise 7,631 4.12% -1.14%
Write-In Tom Metzger 10 .01%
Write-In Wes Stephens 1 .00%
Majority 54,873 29.65%
Turnout 185,049

References

  1. ↑ Indiana Rep. Souder says he'll resign over affair May 18, 2010, Associated Press.
  2. ↑ "Special congressional election set for Nov. 2 | the Journal Gazette | Fort Wayne, IN". Archived from the original on July 31, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Our Campaigns - IN District 03 - R Replacement Convention Race - Jun 12, 2010". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  4. ↑ "Stutzman wins Republican caucus | the Journal Gazette". Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Our Campaigns - IN - District 03 - Special Election Race - Nov 02, 2010". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  6. ↑ General elections 2010
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