Jefferson Shreve couldn’t sway Indy, so he’s trying Congress

Editor’s note: This is a profile of the candidates for Indiana’s 6th Congressional District.

INDIANAPOLIS (MIRROR INDY) — Southsiders may recognize a name running for Congress this year.

Jefferson Shreve, a Republican, spent more than $14 million of his own money making a name for himself in his failed bid to unseat Democratic Mayor Joe Hogsett last year.

What voters may not recognize are some of Shreve’s positions.

As a mayoral candidate, for example, Shreve rolled out a gun control plan that ignited a backlash from conservatives. On his new campaign website, though, Shreve emphasizes his strong support of the Second Amendment.

When asked to explain the discrepancy, Shreve likened his changing priorities to applying for a different job.

“I was applying to be chief exec(utive) for the city that had a front-and-center challenge of gun violence,” Shreve, 59, told Mirror Indy. “That’s not the job that I’m asking people to consider me for today.”

What he’s running for now is a seat in the House of Representatives. The 6th Congressional District spans 11 counties and represents about 200,000 Marion County residents in the three southern townships of Decatur, Perry and Franklin.

The district is reliably red, sending Republicans to Washington, D.C., since before then-Rep. Mike Pence held the seat in the early 2000s. That may be another reason why Shreve’s messaging on gun rights — as well as abortion rights — have changed. He’s no longer speaking solely to a Democratic-dominated electorate in Indy.

He’s running against Cynthia Wirth, a 55-year-old former schoolteacher from Columbus.

Wirth knows the challenges for Democratic candidates in the district, having lost in the 2022 election running for the same seat. But she said she provides a contrast to Shreve.

“I stand for what I stand for, and if I change my policy or my position, it’s because there’s a lot of thought that went into it,” Wirth said. “It’s not because I’m trying to get votes.”

Jefferson Shreve’s new campaign

Shreve was seen by Indy GOP insiders as the best shot to defeat Hogsett last year.

A former city-county councilor, Shreve sold his self-storage company in 2022, earning him $590 million that he could use toward his campaign.

Despite spending millions to plaster his name on billboards and blanket the radio and TV airwaves, Shreve lost by about 20 percentage points.

Reflecting a year later, the Indianapolis native said he “thought he knew our city” and realized he had “much yet to learn.”

When asked to clarify what he meant, Shreve said the mayoral campaign allowed him to see parts of the city he might have otherwise overlooked.

“There’s just so very much that anyone is challenged to onboard, process and still come away with some ideas — notions as to what we could do different, or better, toward improving upon the city, the community and the state that we live in,” Shreve said.

The loss also came with a silver lining.

Two months after Shreve conceded in the mayor’s race, Rep. Greg Pence — a Republican from Columbus and the older brother of former Vice President Mike Pence — announced he wouldn’t seek re-election.

Having already established name recognition in southern Marion County, Shreve decided to throw his hat in the ring.

During his mayoral campaign, he promised not to criminalize doctors for performing abortions. On his new campaign website, he emphasizes a commitment to “protect the unborn” and “do all we can to protect human life.”

His campaign also talks about border security, government spending, supporting law enforcement and protecting farmers and small businesses.

In a seven-way primary, Shreve captured 28% of the vote, edging out candidates such as state Rep. Mike Speedy, who won 22%.

And Shreve needed to spend only $4.5 million — one-third of what he spent on his mayoral campaign — to do it.

Wirth draws sharp contrast with opponent

The childhood aspirations of Wirth, a native of Columbus, never involved becoming a politician.

Much of her career has been spent in academia, working as a research consultant and high school science teacher. She also spent six years running a furniture store.

A former congressional fellow, Wirth gained experience writing policy in Washington, D.C. When she returned to her home state, she was recruited by the state Democratic Party to run for Indiana House District 59 in 2020, though she lost in the primary.

In 2022, she ran against Rep. Greg Pence, managing to capture just 32 percent of the vote.

Wirth doesn’t have money on her side this year — her campaign has $15,000 cash on hand — but she thinks she has a compelling narrative to sway voters.

“We had a family of four living on my teacher’s salary,” Wirth said. “I understand the issues of living paycheck to paycheck, because I’ve lived it.”

She remains optimistic about the uphill battle in her campaign. She ascribes to the same mantra as Destiny Wells, the Democratic candidate for attorney general: Indiana is a purple state with a turnout problem.

“We can’t forget that we were a swing state in 2008,” Wirth said, referring to the last time a Democratic presidential candidate won Indiana. “When you look at the demographics, we’re the same people living here. We know that those values are there.”

Wirth noticed a boost in volunteers after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, and she hopes the excitement over Vice President Kamala Harris will translate to victories for Democrats farther down the ballot.

Her campaign priorities include women’s reproductive rights, affordable health care and public education.

Election Day is Nov. 5. Early voting started Oct. 8.

Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.