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Here are a few local primary races to watch on Tuesday

Steve Burns
/
WFIU, WTIU

Indiana’s primary elections will be held Tuesday, May 3, and more Statehouse incumbents are facing challenges this year than in any election since 2008.

Locally, that includes Republican Rep. Jake Teshka. In 2020, Teshka flipped the 7th House district, which covers parts of St. Joseph County and had long been held by Democrats.

Now, Teshka is facing two primary opponents: Republicans Timothy Jaycox and Sarina Williams. Whoever wins the nomination will likely face Ross Deal, who ran against Teshka in 2020 and is the only Democrat running for the District 7 nomination.

In Kosciusko County, two incumbent state representatives are actually running against each other.

Republican Craig Snow has represented House District 18 since 2020, and Curt Nisly has represented District 22 since 2014. Due to Indiana’s redistricting, the two are now facing off for the District 22 nomination.

In District 21 — which covers parts of Elkhart and St. Joseph County — Republican incumbent Tim Wesco will face Stephen Gray. Wesco has represented the district since 2010.

In St. Joseph County, the first commissioner district is an open race. After more than a decade on the board, incumbent Andy Kostielney announced that he wouldn’t seek re-election late last year .

Two Democrats and two Republicans are now vying for those nominations — Mike McManus and Donald Westerhausen for the Democrats, and Carl Baxmeyer and Robert “Butch” Wood for the GOP.

On the St. Joseph County Council, District C Councilman Richard Pfeil will face Dan Schaetzle in the Republican primary.

Elkhart County Commissioner Frank Lucchese will face Bob Barnes in the Republican primary for Commissioner District 1. Lucchese has represented the district since 2006.

The South Bend Area League of Women Voters and the IUSB American Democracy Project are providing an online voter guide with statements from candidates in contested primaries. You can find other local, state and federal races on the state’s election results website.

Contact Gemma at gdicarlo@wvpe.org or follow her on Twitter at @gemma_dicarlo.

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Gemma DiCarlo came to Indiana by way of Athens, Georgia. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2020 with a degree in Journalism and certificates in New Media and Sustainability. She has radio experience from her time as associate producer of Athens News Matters, the flagship public affairs program at WUGA-FM.