Cummings withdraws from Congressional race

Aug. 18—ANDERSON — Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings has withdrawn from the race for the 5th Congressional District seat.

After Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz said last year that she wouldn't seek a third term, Cummings announced in April that he would run for the Republican Party nomination in the May 2024 primary to replace her.

Cummings, 67, is currently serving his seventh term as prosecutor. He has run unopposed in the past three elections.

"Running for Congress and receiving broad support throughout the district is incredibly humbling," Cummings said in a press release. "I felt confident that I had a genuine chance to win the election and represent Indiana's 5th District as a member of Congress.

"Unfortunately, on June 15, I experienced a significant health event which has caused me to reconsider my candidacy," he added. "I've decided that stepping out of the race is the best decision for my family and future."

Cummings said he would continue to serve as prosecutor and work to help elect a candidate from the district who will advance the priorities he set out to achieve as a candidate: a balanced federal budget, border security and protection of parental rights.

As of Friday, three other candidates have declared for the Republican nomination for the 5h District seat:

—Chuck Goodrich, a Hamilton County business owner who has served in the Indiana House since 2018,

—Siddharth Mahant, a Hamilton County resident who owns a trucking company with his brother,

—Matthew Peiffer, president of Muncie based "A Voice for Kids."

Goodrich and Mahant have each contributed $1 million of their own money for their campaigns.

The last Madison County resident to seek a seat in the U.S. House was Democrat Robert Rock Jr., who lost to Mike Pence in 2000.

Andrew Bales lost a bid for the GOP nomination in the 2020 primary.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide.

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