Lake County Councilman Randy Niemeyer celebrated with his supporters at Buddy and Pal’s in Crown Point Tuesday night as he glided ahead of his two challengers early in the race to become the apparent Republican nominee for Indiana’s First Congressional District.
The Associated Press called the race in Niemeyer’s favor by 7:30 p.m.
With more than 80% of precincts counted, Niemeyer led with nearly 61% of the vote, Leyva tallied 24.8% and Ben Ruiz captured the remaining 14.4%, according to the unofficial election results. The tallies are not finalized until 10 days after the election, so the Lake County Election Board may review any provisional ballots.
The crowd cheered Niemeyer as he accepted the likely win.
Niemeyer was joined by his wife Madeline, daughter Myah, and parents Rich and Rita at the event. He also has a son Erik. He thanked his family, supporters, volunteers and voters. He said volunteers knocked on more than 5,000 doors.
“To win this thing this fall, it is going to take the best ground game we have ever had. We have a start at it, we only need to multiply it by 30. We really have to get to work starting tomorrow at winning this thing,” Niemeyer said.
“The current Congressman better buckle his bootstraps. We’re coming,” Niemeyer said.
This is a target race for the Republicans to win and also a target race for the Democrats to hold, he said, adding the attention on this is going to be a whole lot bigger.
“It’s going to take a lot of money to win this race,” he said.
Niemeyer, who also is the Lake County Republican Party chairman, said the whole district has changed from the foundation up, building the party one office at a time.
“We are winning races now as a party. Our message is resonating with voters,” he said.
“I don’t think I’m the only one in here who thinks this is a moment in time in our country that is concerning. This thing could go one of two ways: we can preserve this great republic or we can lose it forever … It’s going to take more than one person to make it happen. One of the biggest difficulties we have to overcome is not beating Democrats, but beating ourselves,” Niemeyer said.
“We are not going to do it by the isolationist, absolutist approach that for some reason or another embedded on our conservative movement. We need to find what brings us together and not focus on what separates us,” Niemeyer said.
“If we unite as partners and all pull our part of the rope we will be an unstoppable force in November.”
Niemeyer, who currently serves on the Lake County Council, will face off in November against incumbent U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland.
Niemeyer said he has always been focused on November and ending Democratic control of the district. The Republican to hold the seat was Harry E. Rowbottom from 1925 to 1931.
Mrvan released the following statement after securing the Democratic nomination to seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024.
“It is my distinct honor to secure the Democratic nomination to continue to represent Indiana’s First Congressional District. I also applaud all of the candidates of both parties and at all levels of government for their willingness to step forward with their ideas and to be active participants in the democratic process,” Mrvan said in a statement.
“I am running for re-election in order to continue to create work and wealth for everyone in Northwest Indiana. I look forward to building upon my progress as Vice Chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus and Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce to support the Northwest Indiana steel industry and fight for the rights of every member of organized labor,” he continued.
Mrvan said he is proud to have worked to expand Buy America requirements and bring transformational federal dollars to our region for the expansion and recapitalization of the South Shore Rail Line, for enhanced operations at the Gary/Chicago International Airport, and for securing a Hydrogen Hub designation at the BP Whiting refinery that will attract billions of dollars in private investments that will strengthen our manufacturing industries, organized labor, and create new cleaner energy jobs for future generations.
Mrvan zeroed in on the issue of reproductive rights in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, which has motivated Democratic voters.
“And make no mistake, women’s reproductive freedom is on the ballot this November. Elections have real consequences, and the action of the Supreme Court has impacted the freedom of women in Northwest Indiana and across our nation. I will continue to stand with all women and fight every day to make Roe. v. Wade the law of the land and ensure that women will make their own best decisions about their health and economic well-being, not politicians,” Mrvan said.
