THE EXPONENT: Democrat Drew Cox to face incumbent Baird in U.S. House race
By Olivia Mapes Exponent editor-in-chief May 7, 2026
In the Republican primary for Indiana U.S. House District 4, incumbent Rep. Jim Baird won the district in a landslide with 60.5% of the vote. The runner-up, current state Rep. Craig Haggard, earned 30.5% of the vote, according to the Indiana Secretary of State website.
Baird has represented Indiana’s Fourth Congressional District, which comprises 16 counties including all of Tippecanoe County, since 2019.
In November, Baird will face Democrat Drew Cox, a visiting professor of music at Purdue. The Democratic side of the primary was crowded, with eight candidates vying for the nomination, but Cox won with 30.3% of the vote — about 7.5% ahead of any other candidate.
Interim head of the Purdue political science department James McCann said these primaries have been marked by more enthusiasm in the Democratic Party, especially from grassroots organizations.
“Having started the campaign about a year ago, it’s wonderful knowing that all the…