Who is running for State House District 52 in Indiana in 2026?

Joseph Trost (D), Ben Smaltz (R)

When is the Indiana 2026 general election?

Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time.

Indiana › Races › State House District 52

State House District 52 — Indiana 2026

2 candidates on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot (official Indiana Election Division list, as of October 22, 2026). Grades reflect each candidate's public record on life, family, religious liberty, the Second Amendment, limited government and fiscal responsibility.

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Candidates

DJoseph TrostDemocratic

Candidate for State Representative, District 52 (Democratic).

LifeFFamilyDReligious libertyC2nd AmendmentCLimited gov’tDFiscalD

Endorsed by Indiana Reproductive Freedom PAC; iVoterGuide 'Insufficient Information'.

Life: Endorsed by Indiana Reproductive Freedom PAC for 2026.
Family: No positions found on marriage/parental rights; Democratic platform and party affiliation suggest opposition to traditional-family policy positions.
Religious liberty: No position found on religious liberty.
2nd Amendment: No NRA-PVF grade or gun-policy position found.
Limited gov’t: No position found; Democratic platform generally favors expanded government programs and opposes school-choice expansion.
Fiscal: No fiscal positions found; Democratic platform generally favors higher spending.

Sources: [1] [2] [3]

Ballotpedia

ABen SmaltzRepublican

Incumbent Republican state representative, District 52.

LifeAFamilyAReligious libertyB2nd AmendmentALimited gov’tAFiscalB

Voted yes on SB 1 (2022) abortion ban, permitless carry, the girls' sports bill, the 2023 school-choice budget and 2025 property-tax relief; IRTL and NRA (A+)-endorsed, IFI 2026 score 83%, iVoterGuide 'Conservative'.

Life: Voted yes on SB 1 (2022) near-total abortion ban and is endorsed by Indiana Right to Life PAC for 2026.
Family: Voted yes on HB 1041 girls' sports bill, its veto override, SB 480 ban on gender-transition procedures for minors, HB 1608 parental-rights/pronoun bill.
Religious liberty: Indiana Family Institute 2026 scorecard 83%, including support for HB 1389 religious-liberty protections for adoptive/foster parents.
2nd Amendment: NRA-PVF grade A+ with endorsement; voted yes on HB 1296 (2022) permitless carry.
Limited gov’t: Voted yes on HB 1001 (2023) budget expanding Choice Scholarships to near-universal eligibility.
Fiscal: Voted yes on SB 1 (2025) property-tax relief.

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Ballotpedia

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