By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WARSAW – The unexpected death of U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski will require numerous Republican leaders to soon look at how to fill her seat in Congress and select a new Republican candidate for the fall ballot.

Walorski and three others died in a crash north of Nappanee on Wednesday, Aug. 3, after she was returning from events in Warsaw and Claypool.

Republicans are expected to wait until after Walorski’s funeral on Thursday before announcing anything, but a co-director for the Indiana Election Division in the Indiana Secretary of State’s office gave a rundown on Friday, Aug. 5, of what needs to happen.

There are two objectives: Fill the existing seat for the final five months of the current term and then select a candidate to Represent Republicans for the two-year term that’s on the ballot on Nov. 8.

A special election must be called by the governor to fill the current vacancy in the U.S. House.

Gov. Eric Holcomb could take no action and let the seat sit empty for the final five months of the two-year term.

If he chooses to fill it, he’d have to set a date for the special election, said J. Bradley King, the Republican co-director of the Indiana Election Division.

Given the timing and past history, Holcomb could arrange to have the special election coincide with the Nov. 9 general election, he said.

The last time Indiana had a vacancy in Congress was in 2010 when Third District Congressman Mark Souder resigned. At that time, Gov. Mitch Daniels chose to have the special election coincide with the November general election. Marlin Stutzman was chosen to fill the seat and then chosen to be on the ballot in the fall election. He was elected and went on to serve three terms.

Redistricting also complicates matters. The second district changed somewhat by redistricting last year, and those changes take effect on Jan. 3. Perhaps the biggest change in the second district is the addition of Warsaw and Winona Lake from the Third Congressional district.

Under that scenario, two different caucuses would be needed. Republican precinct committee members in the existing 2nd District would vote to fill the current vacancy while precinct committee members in the newly-drawn district would choose a candidate for the new two-year term.

As a result – if a special election is called does coincide with the general election – voters who remain in the new congressional district would vote twice for a member of the House of Representatives.

Walorski, a five-term lawmaker from South Bend, had been seeking re-election and was poised to face Democrat Paul Steury, Libertarian William Henry and Independent candidate Mike Hubbard on Nov. 8