As Northwest Indiana residents contend with rising household and healthcare costs and the region’s struggling economy, voters will decide who represents them and makes major decisions in Congress for the next two years.
The U.S. representative for Indiana’s 1st District, which includes Lake and Porter counties and a portion of LaPorte County, writes and votes on federal laws, helps decide how federal funds are spent, and helps residents deal with federal agencies.
For Gary and Lake County, those decisions show up in various ways, like funding for the South Shore Line, the Gary/Chicago airport, Medicare dollars that keep hospitals like Methodist open, and federal disaster relief aid after storms like the August derecho.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan is seeking his third term representing Indiana’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Gary and much of Northwest Indiana. His Republican challenger, Porter County Commissioner Barb Regnitz, is campaigning on reducing federal spending, strengthening border security, and bringing a business-minded approach to Washington.
The candidates have outlined different approaches to addressing the region’s challenges. Mrvan has emphasized his record of securing federal investment, supporting organized labor, and protecting federal health care programs. Regnitz has focused on government efficiency, lower taxes, and policies she says would help families and businesses prosper.
The race comes as Republicans seek to maintain control of the U.S. House and Democrats work to regain the majority. The outcome will determine not only who represents Northwest Indiana but also which party controls the chamber’s legislative agenda and committee leadership.
Building on federal investments
Mrvan, a Hammond native and former North Township trustee, was first elected to Congress in 2020, succeeding longtime Democratic Rep. Pete Visclosky.
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, which helps determine how federal money is distributed, Mrvan has emphasized his ability to direct resources toward Northwest Indiana.
His campaign says he has helped secure more than $100 million in community funding for water, sanitary, and stormwater sewer improvements, environmental projects, first responders, and higher education. In Gary, specifically, Mrvan has secured funding for the demolition of Ivanhoe Elementary as well as license plate readers for the Gary Police Department.
In his VOTE411 response, Mrvan said his committee work has allowed him to collaborate with lawmakers from both parties while learning about the region’s needs from local officials, employers, workers, and veterans.
He said he is running to continue addressing household expenses and ensure federal resources are spent reasonably.
A business approach to Washington
Regnitz, a Republican serving as a Porter County commissioner, is seeking to unseat Mrvan with a campaign focused on affordability, public safety, and reducing federal spending.
A former software engineer for United Airlines and a financial planner, Regnitz argues that her experience managing budgets and working in local government would help her address problems in Washington.
She has criticized long-standing Democratic representation in Northwest Indiana, arguing that residents continue to struggle with rising prices and a federal government that spends beyond its means.
Regnitz told the Post-Tribune she decided to run because she sees problems that aren’t getting fixed. Specifically, her campaign emphasizes reducing the national debt and strengthening border enforcement.
She also supports changes to election procedures, including greater reliance on in-person voting and watermarked paper ballots.
Regnitz has received endorsements from President Donald Trump and several prominent congressional Republicans, including U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson. She says those relationships would provide opportunities to advocate for Northwest Indiana in Washington.
Different approaches to shared concerns
Although both candidates identify affordability as a pressing concern, they differ on how they would address it.
Mrvan points to federal investments and government programs intended to reduce expenses and expand access to services, while Regnitz emphasizes cutting taxes and government spending, while encouraging economic growth.
Their health care priorities also reflect different approaches.
Mrvan supports preserving federal health insurance programs and expanding access to affordable coverage.
“I am advocating for policies to protect and build upon the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and Medicare to promote quality, affordable care options for everyone,” he wrote.
For her part, Regnitz focuses on preventative care, patient choice, and transparent pricing.
“I believe we need to change the way we think about health care,” Regnitz wrote in her VOTE411 response.
“We spend far too much treating chronic disease and not enough helping people avoid it in the first place. That starts with better food, regular exercise, and good information so people can make healthy choices.”
They also differ on immigration.
Mrvan supports a lawful pathway to citizenship for immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and employer verification requirements designed to prevent the exploitation of undocumented workers.
“As we have an international point of entry right here in Indiana’s First Congressional District, I believe we must remain an inviting country to all immigrants and refugees, and also know who is entering our country to protect against any national security risks,” he wrote.
Regnitz advocates for stronger border enforcement while also simplifying the legal immigration process. She supports allowing employers to more easily hire foreign workers when they cannot find Americans to fill open positions.
“America has always been a nation of immigrants, but we need an immigration system that is fair and actually works,” Regnitz wrote. “We must secure our border and enforce our laws, but we also need to make the legal immigration process simpler and more efficient.
“Congress needs to stop kicking this problem down the road and fix our broken system in a way that protects American workers while welcoming people who come here legally and want to contribute to our country,” Regnitz wrote.
Mrvan has introduced legislation to establish a competitive federal grant to revitalize neighborhoods with vacant and deteriorating properties — an issue particularly relevant to Gary.
Regnitz advocates easing barriers to housing construction as part of her broader approach to reducing costs for working families.
Both candidates also say they want to make energy more affordable, though they have emphasized different strategies.
Mrvan has challenged a federal order requiring NIPSCO to keep coal-fired electricity plants operating beyond their planned retirement, warning of additional costs to customers. Regnitz has criticized utility rate increases and called for lowering energy expenses.
