Erin Houchin is the Republican incumbent for Indiana's 9th Congressional District, first elected in 2022. A Salem native, she ran a communications firm, worked for U.S. Senator Dan Coats's regional office, and served eight years in the Indiana Senate before moving to Congress. She is seeking a second full term after advancing unopposed from the May 2026 Republican primary.[1][2]
Houchin was born in Salem, Indiana, in 1976, and describes herself as a native of the 9th District.[1][2] She earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana University and a master's degree in political management from George Washington University.[1][2] Her career includes owning a business, founding and serving as president of Contend Communications, and working for the Indiana Department of Child Services, Community Alliance Promoting Education, New Hope Services, and Prevent Child Abuse Indiana. Her official biography also says she operated a communications firm focused on helping law enforcement communicate their work.[1][2]
In 2011, Houchin served as southeast Indiana regional director for U.S. Senator Dan Coats (R). She has held local party roles including 9th District chair of the Indiana Republican Party, 9th District chair of the Indiana Federation of Republican Women, and vice chair of the Washington County Republican Party, and was a governor's appointee to the Indiana Commission for Women.[1][2] She won the Indiana State Senate District 47 seat in 2014, defeating Democratic incumbent Richard D. Young Jr. in the general election, and was re-elected in 2018. She served in the state Senate for eight years, including as ranking member on Tax and Fiscal Policy.[1][2] She ran in the 2016 Republican primary for Indiana's 9th Congressional District, which Trey Hollingsworth won.[1]
Houchin won the open 9th District U.S. House seat in 2022, defeating Democrat Matthew Fyfe, Libertarian Tonya Hudson, and write-in candidate Jacob Bailey in the general election, and took office January 3, 2023, succeeding Hollingsworth. She was re-elected in 2024.[1] In the 118th Congress (2023-2024), she served on the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, and Rules; her official biography lists her current committee assignments as Rules, Budget, and Energy and Commerce.[1][2] Ballotpedia lists an endorsement from President Donald Trump. According to her official biography, she is married to Dustin (married 2002), they have three children, and the family lives in Washington County, Indiana.[1][2]
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
