Indiana Secretary of State Race Draws Endorsements From Former GOP Leaders
Indiana’s 2026 secretary of state election has triggered sharp divisions within the state’s political landscape, drawing rare public endorsements of non-GOP figures from prominent, longtime Republican officials. Former Republican Lieutenant Governors Sue Ellspermann and John Mutz have endorsed former Indianapolis Republican Mayor Greg Ballard, who formed a new third-party alternative named the Lincoln Party, THE INDIANA CITIZEN reported.
Ballard is the former Republican mayor of Indianapolis. He is an Independent/Lincoln Party candidate for Indiana Secretary of State.State Representative Ed Clere, elected as a Republican, will be running as an independent for Mayor of New Albany IN.
The Launch of the Lincoln Party and Disaffected Conservatives
Ballard established the Lincoln Party to serve as a home for traditional, disaffected Republicans who feel alienated by the current direction of the national and state GOP under Donald Trump. According to reporting by THE INDIANA CITIZEN, veteran party figures like Mutz and Ellspermann belong to a wing of the party that believed in building businesses and communities and the gospel of prosperity rather than hate.
While Ballard’s polling numbers remain modest, his presence on the ballot draws enough protest support to influence a tight statewide contest.
Retribution Against Lawmakers Over Legislative Districting
In response to his opposition, aligned national and state political committees spent millions of dollars trying to defeat Walker in his primary race. The campaign successfully unseated the longtime senator, branding him a “Republican in Name Only.”
Additional Endorsements and Democratic Party Involvement
Following his defeat, Walker crossed party lines to endorse Democrat Beau Bayh in the secretary of state’s race, according to THE INDIANA CITIZEN. This endorsement, alongside the backing of Ballard by Ellspermann and Mutz, underscores a widening fracture among Indiana conservatives who refuse to support the current party apparatus.
Longtime party figures contend that the current leadership bears sole responsibility for driving away foundational members who built the state’s modern political infrastructure. As Bill Hudnut, the late four-term Indianapolis mayor, observed regarding the transformation of the GOP, many traditional conservatives conclude that their party has left them behind.
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