Two local men are among 13 Indiana Libertarians seeking statewide or federal office this year.
Donald Rainwater was nominated as the Libertarian Party’s nominee for Indiana Governor during their annual convention Saturday at the Forum Event Center in Fishers. James Sceniak was nominated as the party’s candidate for Indiana’s 6th Congressional District as well, according to a Libertarian Party of Indiana news release.
Both Rainwater and Sceniak reside in Johnson County. The nominating convention is the Libertarian Party’s candidate selection process as they do not hold primaries in Indiana.
This is the second consecutive election Rainwater has run for governor. He last ran in 2020, receiving a record 11.4% of the vote — the highest vote total for a Libertarian in a three-way race in 2020 nationally, as well as the highest vote total for a Libertarian statewide candidate in Indiana history. He also finished second in multiple counties, according to the news release.
Sceniak previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 and for Greenwood City Council at-large last year. He was not selected by voters in either race.
Other candidates at the top of the Libertarian ticket include Tonya Hudson, a Lawrence County resident who was nominated as their candidate for lieutenant governor. She is a longtime county chair and member of the Libertarian State Central Committee, where she recently served as the party’s vice chair, the news release says.
For U.S. Senate, Andrew Horning of Owen County was selected as their nominee. Horning, who is described as a longtime Libertarian activist, author and speaker, has run for office before. This will be Horning’s second run for Senate, as he garnered 5.7% of the vote in 2012, the news release says.
Horning has also run for U.S. Congress three times in the last decade. He was also the party’s governor candidate in 2000 and 2008, according to the news release.
Here is the full list of Libertarian candidates nominated at Friday’s convention. They will appear on general election ballots in November:
- Governor: Donald Rainwater (Johnson County)
- Lieutenant governor: Tonya Hudson (Lawrence County)
- United States Senate: Andrew Horning (Owen County)
- United States House of Representatives:
- District 2: William Henry (Elkhart County)
- District 3: Jarrad Lancaster (Whitley County)
- District 6: James Sceniak (Johnson County)
- District 7: Russel “Rusty” Johnson (Marion County)
- Indiana House of Representatives:
- District 6: Charlie Florence (St. Joseph County)
- District 22: Josh Vergiels (Kosciusko County)
- District 25: Ron Dixon (Boone County)
- District 97: Mark Renholzberger (Marion County)
- District 98: Elizabeth “Libby” Glass (Marion County)
- Indiana Senate:
- District 10: Tim Cotton (St. Joseph County)
