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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowRepublicans in the Indiana House and Senate will retain or build on their supermajorities in both houses of the state Legislature, according to projections of unofficial statewide election results.
The Associated Press projects Republicans are on track to gain five seats in the Indiana House, increasing their advantage there to 72-28 over Democrats. The projection is based on 69 Republicans declared winners in their races and three others leading. AP has called for Democrats in 24 races and projects four more winning their races.
The supermajority allows Republicans in both Houses a quorum for business even if Democrats don’t show up.
Democrats are projected to pick up one seat in the state Senate. If so, Republicans would continue to hold a 39-11 majority.
Democrat Fady Qaddoura unseated first-term incumbent Sen. John Ruckelshaus, R-Indianapolis, to represent a district that includes northern Marion County and southern Hamilton County in the Indiana Senate.
Qaddoura had 52% of the vote to Ruckelshaus’ 48%, with 98% of the vote counted, according to the Associated Press, which called the race shortly after 9 p.m.
Combined, the candidates spent more than $1 million on the race, one of the most hotly contested legislative races in the state.
Qaddoura, a former Indianapolis Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree, gives Democrats a rare pickup.
Ruckelshaus was elected to represent Senate District 30 in 2016 with 51% of the vote, a year in which Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won the district. That gave Democrats confidence they could pick up the seat.
Qaddoura is a former controller for the city of Indianapolis. He left the city at the end of 2019 to become chief innovation officer for Katz Sapper & Miller, the city’s largest accounting firm.
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