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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Indiana House, District 51

Indiana House of Representatives. 2-year term.

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What this office does

Members of the Indiana House of Representatives write and vote on state laws as part of the Indiana General Assembly. The House has 100 members, each representing one district for a two-year term [1].

The job in full — the duties the Indiana Code puts in it, the term, what it pays and who sets that, and what to ask a candidate.

Term
2 years [1]
Term limit
None [1]
Seats
100 [1]
On the 2026 ballot
All 100 [2]
What the law puts in this job (2)
  • Introduces and votes on state legislation as one of the two chambers of the Indiana General Assembly [1].
  • Must be at least 21 years old when taking office and have lived in the district for at least a year [1].

About this race

  • House District 51 includes all of LaGrange County and part of Steuben County, according to the House Republican caucus [3]; KPC News describes it as all of LaGrange County and most of Steuben County [17].
  • This is a rematch of 2024, when Isa won the then-open seat over Rowe with 74.4% of the vote to her 25.6% [18].
  • In the May 5, 2026 Republican primary, Isa defeated Theresa Steele, 3,995 votes (68.2%) to 1,862 (31.8%), according to Wikipedia; Rowe was the only Democratic candidate listed [19].
  • No debate or forum between the two candidates was found as of October 10, 2026; Rowe's campaign events page listed no forums [20].
  • Both candidates point to household costs: Isa highlights the 2025 property-tax law and the 2026 housing law he co-authored, while Rowe's campaign focuses on what she calls "The Hoosier Cost" of child care, utilities, housing and property taxes [21, 15, 22].

Who holds this seat now

Tony Isa (Republican) — on this ballot, standing again.

Isa's record in the job

  • April 2025: Authored HEA 1196, which the caucus says removes the requirement that aviation boards and airport authorities in communities of 38,000 or fewer people split seats equally between political parties; Isa called it "a common-sense approach to ensure effective governance at a local level" [6].
  • 2025: Co-authored HEA 1003, which the caucus says tightens facility-fee billing rules at the largest nonprofit hospitals, requires labs and imaging centers to post prices, and expands the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit's powers; it was ceremonially signed in June 2025 [7].
  • On April 10, 2025, voted for SB 1, the property-tax and local government finance bill, which passed the House 65–29 [8]. On April 25, 2025, voted for the conference report on HEA 1001, the 2025–2027 state budget, adopted 66–27 [9].
  • December 5, 2025: Voted for HB 1032, the mid-decade congressional redistricting bill, which passed the House 57–41 [10]; the Senate defeated it 19–31 on December 11 [11].
  • January 2026: Introduced HB 1370, which would bar insurers from requiring prior authorization for ambulance services and for emergency services provided in good faith within 24 hours; the caucus said it was referred to the House Insurance Committee [12]. January 28, 2026: Voted for HB 1002, the electric utility affordability bill, which passed the House 89–4 [13].
  • February 2026: Co-authored HB 1038, which would set up a competitive process for relocating an existing casino license to Allen, DeKalb, Steuben or Wayne County; Isa said "Steuben County would make an ideal place to expand economic opportunity for the region and the state" [14].
  • 2026: Co-authored the 2026 housing law, HEA 1001, which the caucus says limits local impact and development fees and makes it easier to convert commercial buildings into housing [15]. In June 2026 he was appointed to the Interim Study Committee on Employment and Labor [16].

Candidates on the ballot

Tony Isa

RepublicanIncumbent

Work
Small-business owner and local real estate agent [3]

The Republican incumbent, first elected in 2024, a real estate agent and former Steuben County Council member [3].

Isa's background

  • Small-business owner and local real estate agent; served four years on the Steuben County Council, according to the caucus [3]. His campaign site says he owns Scoops Ice Cream in Angola [23].
  • Lives in Angola [3].

Isa's positions

Property taxes

  • In a June 2026 column, said the 2025 property-tax law provides a homestead credit of up to $300, phases in a larger deduction for homeowners, adds local spending guardrails and moves property-tax referendums to general-election ballots [21].

Health care

  • Said of his 2025 health-cost law, "For too long, patients have been left in the dark when it comes to the cost of care" [7].
  • Said of his ambulance prior-authorization bill, "Medical emergencies do not wait for insurance approval" [12].

Housing

  • Said "Too many Hoosiers are being priced out of the housing market by unnecessary regulations and rising construction costs" [15].

Economy & jobs

  • Supports relocating a casino license to Steuben County as an economic-development step [14].

How Isa would run the office

  • His campaign site lists priorities including fiscal responsibility, limited government, education, public safety, support for businesses, opposition to abortion and gun rights, without detailed proposals [23].

Isa on the current officeholder

  • Is the current officeholder. No public statement by Isa about Rowe's 2026 campaign was found.

How Isa got on the ballot

  • Won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary over Theresa Steele with 68.2% of the vote, according to Wikipedia [19].

Isa's endorsements and funding

  • Wikipedia lists endorsements from President Donald Trump, Gov. Mike Braun, Americans for Prosperity, Indiana Farm Bureau's AgELECT PAC, NFIB Indiana PAC and the NRA Political Victory Fund [19].

What we could not find about Isa

  • No campaign finance totals were checked for 2026.
  • Final status of HB 1370 (ambulance prior authorization) and HB 1038 (casino relocation) in the 2026 session was not confirmed.
  • No 2026 news coverage of his primary race against Theresa Steele was read.

Isa's record in office

Indiana House record, District 51 (2025-2026) · compiled from the official record, Oct. 12-13, 2026

Authored
7
1 became law
Co-authored
11
8 became law
Co-sponsored
7
6 became law

Committees, 2026 session

  • Agriculture and Rural Development
  • Employment, Labor and Pensions
  • Public Health
  • Employment and Labor, Interim Study Committee on (House Majority Member)

Floor votes

  • 2025: Yes 372, No 90, Excused 43, Not voting 5
  • 2026: Yes 279, No 93, Not voting 5
How Isa voted on 18 selected bills
The 25 bills Isa carried

  • HB 1196: Membership of aviation boards.

    2025 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that an eligible entity with a population of less than 38,000 is not subject to the political party membership requirements for a board of aviation commissioners or an airport authority.

  • HB 1215: LaGrange County innkeeper's tax.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Authorizes LaGrange County to increase the county's innkeeper's tax rate from 5% to not more than 8% under the uniform innkeeper's tax statute.

  • HB 1645: Rural utility infrastructure.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Establishes the rural utility infrastructure grant fund (fund) for the purpose of providing grants to specified eligible entities to use in obtaining the utility infrastructure required to meet the growing demand for utility service in rural areas in Indiana.

  • HB 1646: Local option sales taxes.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Allows counties, cities, and towns to adopt a local sales tax applicable to tangible personal property delivered (not by common carrier) within the geographic boundaries of the political subdivision.

  • HB 1003: Health matters.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Specifies that the Medicaid fraud control unit's (MFCU) investigation of Medicaid fraud may include the investigation of provider fraud, insurer fraud, duplicate billing, and other instances of fraud.

  • HB 1289: Employment social enterprises.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Defines "employment social enterprise" as a nonprofit or for-profit organization that meets certain criteria.

  • HB 1423: Wake boarding and wake surfing.

    2025 · Co-authored · not reported from House committee

    Specifies restrictions that apply to wake boarding or wake surfing on a public freshwater lake.

  • HB 1474: FSSA matters.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Adds additional duties to a workgroup currently organized concerning the pathways for aging risk based managed care program (program).

  • HB 1592: Services for the aged and disabled.

    2025 · Co-authored · reported from House committee; no House third-reading vote

    Allows the office of the secretary of family and social services (office) to reimburse a Medicaid provider for providing functional assessments if the provider completed training approved by the office.

  • HB 1606: Pharmacy benefit managers.

    2025 · Co-authored · not reported from House committee

    Prohibits a pharmacy benefit manager from taking certain actions.

  • SB 118: 340B drug program report.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires certain entities authorized to participate in the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program to annually report specified data to the Indiana department of health (state department).

  • SB 211: Clean water Indiana program.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Permits the use of funds from the clean water Indiana fund to manage invasive plant species.

  • HB 1370: Payment of claims for emergency services.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Prohibits a utilization review entity from requiring prior authorization for ambulance services provided: (1) to a covered individual; (2) by a nonparticipating ambulance service provider; and (3) within 12 hours after the ambulance services are requested.

  • HB 1371: Background colors for licenses and permits.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Requires the bureau of motor vehicles to apply a unique background color to a driver's license, a learner's permit, or an identification card issued after December 31, 2026, to an individual who: (1) is an alien with lawful status; or (2) is not registered to vote at the time of issuance.

  • HB 1399: Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Requires the state police department (department) to oversee an electronic logging system (system) to: (1) record and monitor real time purchases of products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine; (2) monitor ephedrine and pseudoephedrine purchases to prevent or investigate the illegal purchase of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine; and (3) block illegal purchases of ephedrine and pseduoephedrine.

  • HB 1001: Housing matters.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Revises the allocation of money available for making loans from the residential housing infrastructure assistance revolving fund.

  • HB 1038: Gaming matters.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that the horse racing commission may issue three satellite facility licenses (instead of four per permit holder under current law).

  • HB 1062: Wake boarding and wake surfing.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Specifies restrictions that apply to wake boarding or wake surfing on a public freshwater lake.

  • HB 1252: Broker companies.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires a broker company who refers a client or customer to another broker company to disclose if the broker company may be compensated for referring the client or customer.

  • HB 1278: Nursing matters; education programs.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires the Indiana State Nurses Association, any time there is a vacancy or expiration of a term on the board of nursing, to recommend to the governor a list of qualified nurses for appointment.

  • SB 14: Pension matters.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Modifies the definition of "average of the annual compensation" for a member of the public employees' retirement fund (PERF) who retires after December 31, 2027.

  • SB 182: Gender issues.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Defines "female", "male", "gender", and "sex" for all Indiana statutes.

  • SB 245: Tip pooling.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Specifically authorizes the use of tip pooling arrangements under certain circumstances.

  • SB 246: Redaction of court records.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires the names and specified other information of child victims, child witnesses, and certain other persons to be redacted in criminal actions.

  • SB 27: Stadium authority.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Establishes the northwest Indiana stadium authority (stadium authority) for the purpose of acquiring and financing certain facilities.

How this record was put together, and what it does not show

What we list: 28 bills chosen by a rule that does not look at topic: both state budgets, four bills named in advance, the 2025-26 redistricting bill, and in each session and chamber the 3 bills whose final-passage vote drew the most “nay” votes.

  • Votes reflect party caucus dynamics. Indiana has Republican supermajorities in both chambers, and many floor votes split along party lines; a single vote says little without the bill and its context.
  • Bills often die for procedural reasons, such as no committee hearing or a deadline, and a bill marked “not reported from committee” may have become law inside another bill.
  • A third-reading vote is on the version in front of the chamber at that time; the final version can be very different.
  • Authoring and co-authoring are different: co-authors sign on, often in large numbers, and usually did not write the bill.
  • Attendance counts roll calls on bills and joint resolutions (about 89% of numbered roll calls). “Excused” is an absence the chamber approved; “not voting” means no vote was recorded.

Where Isa's record came from

Isa's campaign website

Sources for Isa

Judy Rowe

Democratic

Work
Former small-business owner and RE/MAX real estate broker [17]

The Democratic nominee, a Steuben County real estate broker who was also the party's nominee for the seat in 2024 [17, 18].

Rowe's background

  • A former small-business owner and RE/MAX real estate broker [17].
  • KPC News described her in 2024 as a former Steuben County Democratic Party chair [5].
  • Lives in the Lake Pleasant area [17].

Rowe's positions

Economy & jobs

  • Her campaign says "Indiana families are paying more for child care, utilities, housing, and property taxes while too many decisions are made without the people having a real say" [22].

Energy & utilities

  • Says households and small businesses face pressure from rising utility and energy bills, according to KPC News [17].

Child care

  • Criticizes cuts to child care support, saying "Child care isn’t a luxury. It’s a workforce necessity" [17].

Property taxes

  • Argues the state has shifted financial burdens to counties, towns and schools, increasing pressure on property taxpayers [17].

Housing

  • Cites limited housing inventory, price pressure and barriers for first-time buyers [17].

Elections & ballot access

  • Supports giving citizens the power to put issues on the ballot [22].

Other issues

  • Her issues page also lists protecting public schools, legalizing, regulating and taxing cannabis, and protecting lakes and drinking water, without further detail [22].

How Rowe would run the office

  • Her campaign says she is running "to lower the Hoosier Cost and give Hoosiers the power to put issues on the ballot" [22].

How Rowe got on the ballot

  • Filed her candidacy on January 16, 2026, and was the only Democratic candidate listed for the May 5 primary [17, 19].

What we could not find about Rowe

  • No campaign finance totals were checked for 2026.
  • Her campaign's issues page gives headings without detailed proposals.
  • No 2026 news coverage beyond her January filing announcement was found; details of her local board service could not be confirmed from freely available sources.
  • No statement by Rowe about Isa's record was found; her campaign site and KPC's 2026 filing story do not mention him by name [22, 17]. She said, "I’m running because I’m done watching working families and rural communities get shortchanged" [17].
  • No endorsements are listed on her campaign site [24].

Rowe's campaign website

Sources for Rowe

Key points

  • House District 51 includes all of LaGrange County and part of Steuben County, according to the House Republican caucus; KPC News describes it as all of LaGrange County and most of Steuben County. (Indiana House Republicans)
  • Both candidates point to household costs: Isa highlights the 2025 property-tax law and the 2026 housing law he co-authored, while Rowe's campaign focuses on what she calls "The Hoosier Cost" of child care, utilities, housing and property taxes. (Indiana House Republicans)

Sources

Researched Saturday, October 10, 2026

  1. Indiana House of Representatives (Wikipedia)
  2. 2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
  3. Tony Isa — member page (Indiana House Republicans)
  4. Isa takes oath to serve as new state representative for House District 51 (Indiana House Republicans)
  5. Rowe running for District 51 Democratic nomination (KPC News)
  6. Isa's bill broadening eligibility requirements for aviation board membership signed into law (Indiana House Republicans)
  7. Governor ceremonially signs bill co-authored by Isa to reduce health care costs, combat fraud (Indiana House Republicans)
  8. House Roll Call 433: SB 1 (Local government finance), third reading (Indiana General Assembly (roll-call PDF mirrored by FastDemocracy/BillTexts))
  9. House Roll Call 576: HB 1001 (State budget), conference committee report (Indiana General Assembly (roll-call PDF mirrored by FastDemocracy/BillTexts))
  10. House Roll Call 28: HB 1032 (Redistricting), third reading (Indiana General Assembly (roll-call PDF mirrored by FastDemocracy/BillTexts))
  11. Senate Roll Call 8: HB 1032 (Redistricting), third reading (Indiana General Assembly (roll-call PDF mirrored by FastDemocracy/BillTexts))
  12. Rep. Isa introduces legislation to protect emergency medical services for Hoosiers (Indiana House Republicans)
  13. House Roll Call 149: HB 1002 (Electric utility affordability), third reading (Indiana General Assembly (roll-call PDF mirrored by FastDemocracy/BillTexts))
  14. Rep. Isa co-authors casino relocation legislation to promote economic growth in northeast Indiana (Indiana House Republicans)
  15. Governor ceremonially signs law co-authored by Rep. Isa to increase home ownership (Indiana House Republicans)
  16. Northeast Indiana legislators receive 2026 summer study committee appointments (Indiana House Republicans)
  17. Rowe files to run for House 51 (The Herald Republican (KPC News))
  18. 2024 Indiana House of Representatives election (Wikipedia)
  19. 2026 Indiana House of Representatives election (Wikipedia)
  20. Events (Judy Rowe campaign)
  21. COLUMN: Isa: Property tax reforms will deliver relief and transparency to Hoosiers (Indiana House Republicans)
  22. Issues (Judy Rowe campaign)
  23. Friends of Tony Isa (Tony Isa campaign)
  24. Judy Rowe for Indiana State Representative (Judy Rowe campaign)
What's included
the U.S. House, statewide offices, every Indiana House and Senate district on the ballot, Indiana's statewide public questions and judicial retention questions, and county, township, city, town and school board races from the Indiana Election Division's candidate list.
Everything else
Local races (county, city, school board, judges) and anything else on your ballot are on your official sample ballot: IndianaVoters.in.gov.
Candidate lists
As of Sunday, October 18, 2026.
At the polls
Indiana law lets you bring a list of candidates and public questions into the polling place, including one stored on your phone, as long as you don't electioneer. IC 3-11-8-18.5

This is not an official ballot. Confirm your registration, polling place and ballot with your election office through vote.gov.