Mark Brian Messmer[1] (born September 1962)[2] is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Indiana’s 8th congressional district since 2025. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Previously, Messmer served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2008 to 2014 and the Indiana Senate from 2014 to 2024, serving as majority leader of the chamber from 2018 to 2022. Before that, he previously served on the Holy Family School Board from 2001 to 2004, and as its president from 2003 to 2004.
Representing a safe Republican district,[original research?] Messmer was first elected to Congress in 2024 after winning a crowded Republican primary with 38% of the vote. He is a member of the moderate Republican Governance Group.[3]
Indiana House of Representatives
In 2022, Messmer sponsored a bill that bans the foreign ownership of agricultural land in Indiana.[4][5] He also sponsored bills in 2022 to provide in-state tuition and drivers licenses to illegal immigrants.[6]
U.S. House of Representatives
In February 2024, Messmer announced his candidacy for Indiana’s 8th congressional district in the 2024 election.[7] He defeated former U.S. Representative John Hostettler in the primary by a wide margin of roughly 20 points. He resigned from the Indiana Senate in September 2024 in order to focus on his campaign.[8] Messmer would later go on to defeat his Democratic opponent, Erik Hurt.[9]
Tenure
Rep. Messmer was sworn into the 119th United States Congress on January 3, 2025.
Committee assignments
- United States House Committee on Agriculture
- Committee on Armed Services
- Committee on Education and Workforce
Caucus memberships
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Messmer | 30,668 | 38.5 | |
| Republican | John Hostettler | 15,649 | 19.7 | |
| Republican | Richard Moss | 11,227 | 14.1 | |
| Republican | Dominick Kavanaugh | 9,397 | 11.8 | |
| Republican | Kristi Risk | 7,350 | 9.2 | |
| Republican | Luke Misner | 2,287 | 2.9 | |
| Republican | Jim Case | 2,107 | 2.6 | |
| Republican | Jeremy Heath | 944 | 1.2 | |
| Total votes | 79,629 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Messmer | 219,941 | 68.0 | |
| Democratic | Erik Hurt | 95,311 | 29.5 | |
| Libertarian | Richard Fitzlaff | 8,381 | 2.6 | |
| Total votes | 323,633 | 100.0 | ||
Personal life
References
- ^ “Rep. Mark Messmer”. LegiStorm.
- ^ United States Congress. “Mark Messmer (id: M001233)”. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ^ “Republican Governance Group / Tuesday Group PAC”. Republican Governance Group. Republican Governance Group. Archived from the original on March 8, 2026. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ^ “Indiana Senate passes bill to restrict foreign ownership of cropland to 320 acres”. February 3, 2022.
- ^ “Senate passes bill to keep agricultural land under ownership of Americans”. February 2, 2022.
- ^ “GOP House hopeful co-authored bills to provide in-state tuition, driving ‘cards’ to illegal immigrants”. Fox News. February 6, 2024.
- ^ “Messmer jumps into 8th Congressional District race”. February 4, 2024.
- ^ “Messmer Resigns from State Senate”. August 26, 2024.
- ^ Muñiz, Leslie Bonilla (November 6, 2024). “Messmer wins in Indiana’s 8th Congressional District • Indiana Capital Chronicle”. Indiana Capital Chronicle. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ “Caucus Memberships”. Congressional Western Caucus. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ “Religious affiliation of members of the 119th Congress” (PDF). Pew Research Center. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
External links
- Mark Messmer at Ballotpedia
- State Representative Mark Messmer official Indiana State Legislature site
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Profile at Vote Smart
