IN-06: Indiana GOP Rep. Luke Messer's decision to run for the Senate opens up his 6th Congressional District, which includes the eastern Indianapolis suburbs, Muncie, and several communities along the Ohio and Kentucky borders. Trump carried the seat 68-27, and even disastrous 2012 Senate nominee Richard Mourdock, who lost statewide 50-44, won the 6th 49-44.
Messer's Senate bid has been expected for months, so local Republicans have had plenty of time to consider a bid here. The biggest potential name is businessman Greg Pence, whose younger brother Mike Pence represented the last version of this seat until he successfully ran for governor in 2012. Gregg Pence, who chairs Messer's statewide finance committee, has refused to rule anything out over the last few months. Last month, the older Pence told IndyStar that, while he's been encouraged to run, he's focused on Messer, which is far from a no.
Pence had a brief stint in state government in 2005, when then-Gov. Mitch Daniels hired him for a senior position at the Department of Environmental Management. Pence had no environmental credentials, and it didn't help that his old oil company was cited by that very agency for environmental violations. Pence ended up leaving after just two-and-a half-months. However, this probably isn't the type of controversy that would piss off GOP primary voters. In any case, Pence is close to his powerful brother, and if he runs, he could end up scaring off potential rivals.
Howey Politics also recently wrote that state Sens. Mike Crider and Jean Leising are considering, though we haven't heard anything from them publically yet. Leising was Team Red's nominee for a district that included some of this turf in 1994 and 1996, losing both times to Democratic incumbent Lee Hamilton.