INDIANAPOLIS — Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Rust filed a lawsuit Monday in an effort to get his name on the May 2024 primary ballot. He maintains that a current Indiana law blocking him from the ballot is unconstitutional.
The legal challenge was filed in the Marion County Superior Court. Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales, the Indiana Election Commission and Jackson County Republican Party Chair Amanda Lowery are named as defendants.
Rust, an openly gay conservative Republican who chairs the Seymour-based Rose Acre Farms, entered the race for the GOP nomination last month. His main challenger is U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, who is the party’s favored contender in the race.
Both candidates are hoping to take Indiana’s seat currently held by Sen. Mike Braun. The sitting senator, who nominated Banks earlier this month, is leaving the position to run for Indiana governor.
But because Rust doesn’t qualify to run as a Republican based only on his primary voting history, he needs additional approval from his county party chair. Indiana Republican Party officials said earlier this month that Lowery had indicated she would not approve his candidacy.
The Jackson County official said she would not certify Rust because of his voting record. Further, Lowery said she would refuse to sign off on any candidate who did not pull a party ballot in the previous two primaries, as required by the state statute.
Rust contends in the lawsuit that recent amendments enacted by the state legislature made him — and a majority of Hoosiers — ineligible to run for office in Indiana due to their voting records. He argues, too, that Lowery has misinterpreted the election law, which unfairly precludes him from running.
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