Rep. Jeff Ellington (R-Bloomfield) will be the Republican nominee in the race for House District 45. Ellington has ___ percent of votes with ____ percent of precincts reporting. His opponent, fellow Rep. Bruce Borders (R-Jasonville), collected ____ percent of votes.
The HD 45 Republican primary is one of three statewide races where redistricting pitted incumbents against each other.
Ellington announced he would seek the Republican nomination for the 45 th after redistricting shook up his current district. Ellington has represented District 62 since late 2015, when he was appointed by a GOP caucus. But Greene County, which makes up most of the 62 nd, will be incorporated into the 45 th when the new legislative maps go into effect this November.
READ MORE: ‘I was shocked’: Borders to defend seat after Ellington announces move
Ellington ran on his experience with Crane Naval Base and the district’s need for a new voice at the Statehouse. Incumbent Bruce Borders has represented the district since 2014, and from 2004 to 2012 before that.
The race quickly became bitter, with Borders calling Ellington a carpetbagger and Ellington making jokes about Borders’ experience as an Elvis impersonator. Both candidates touted their conservative records in the General Assembly and questioned the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Ellington currently has a clear path to the Statehouse – no Democrats have filed in the race yet. He says his focus will be on increasing economic opportunities for the district.
Pat Beane contributed to this story.
