Victoria Spartz, First Ukrainian-American in US Congress, Defeated in Indiana’s 2026 Election

2026 Election Outcomes

According to Рубрика — Політика: Republican Victoria Spartz, originally from the Chernihiv region of Ukraine, lost her bid for re-election to the US House of Representatives in Indiana to Democrat JD Ford, who secured 51.66% of the vote. Spartz, who made history as the first ethnically Ukrainian member of the US Congress when elected in 2020, received 48.34% of the vote in the 2026 race. The 2026 midterm elections involved choosing all 435 seats in the House, one-third of the Senate, and governors in 39 states. Following the results, the Democratic Party gained control of the Senate and currently leads in the House.

Victoria Spartz’s Political Journey

Born in Nosivka, Chernihiv Oblast, Spartz moved to the United States at age 22 after completing her education in Chernihiv and Kyiv. She began her political career in Indiana, winning a seat in the state Senate in 2017, and then was elected to the US House of Representatives in 2020 as a Republican. Early in her tenure, Spartz supported military aid to Ukraine but later voted against a $61 billion aid package, stating she could not understand why Ukraine would refuse to cede occupied territories to Russia.

In July 2022, Spartz requested clarification from President Joe Biden regarding oversight procedures related to Andriy Yermak. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, she condemned the aggression. The Ukrainian Parliament endorsed forming a commission to monitor Western weapons supplies to Ukraine. Spartz’s US-born children are raised speaking Ukrainian, reflecting her strong cultural ties.

The 2026 election marked a turning point for Spartz’s career and highlighted shifts in the US political landscape, with Democrats securing Senate control.

These midterms reveal not only changing voter preferences but also broader political trends in the United States, where Republicans face internal divisions and growing Democratic support. As a prominent figure within the Ukrainian-American community, Victoria Spartz now confronts new challenges amid this evolving political environment.