×

Representative Ben Smaltz Elected Next Indiana House Speaker; Garten Elected Senate President Pro-Tem

By John Szink Nov 5, 2026 | 7:31 AM

Indiana state Representative Ben Smaltz of Auburn has been elected the next House Speaker.

Smaltz will have 16 more Democrats in the minority after they broke the Republican Party’s supermajority in the House this week.

The 70-to-30 margin for the GOP has shrunk to 54-to-46 starting in January.

Current House Speaker Todd Huston was one of the 16 Republicans who lost their reelection bid.

Meanwhile, the Indiana Senate Majority Caucus voted to elect State Sen. Chris Garten as their choice for Senate President Pro Tempore.

 

Comments

Leave a Reply

On Air Now
Afternoons with Meghan
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
WASHINGTON WEATHER

This Day in Country Music

On this day July 24, 1957
Born on this day was Pam Tillis country music singer-songwriter and actress, (she is the daughter of country music singer Mel Tillis). Originally a demo singer in Nashville, Tennessee, she scored the 1991 hit "Don't Tell Me What to Do", and has since c...
Jul 23, 2025
On this day June 24, 2000
Dixie Chick Natalie Maines married actor Adrian Pasdar at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada for 55 dollars.
Jun 23, 2025
On this day June 22, 2011
Glen Campbell announced he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. This news came five months after Campbell announced his retirement from the music business.
Jun 21, 2025
On this day June 21, 1976
Reba McEntire married Charlie Battles at the First Baptist Church in Stringtown, Oklahoma. They had their honeymoon in Texas, where they promoted her latest single to local radio stations.
Jun 20, 2025
On this day June 20, 1949
Born on this day in Tuskegee, Alabama, was Lionel Richie, singer, songwriter and one time member of the Commodores. Kenny Rogers scored the 1980 crossover country hit with the Richie written and produced track "Lady". Richie released his tenth studio a...
Jun 19, 2025
On this day June 20, 2007
presented the to Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, Don Williams and songwriter Harlan Howard at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville. Buck Owens received the Jim Reeves International Award.
Jun 19, 2025
On this day June 19, 2006
Taylor Swift released her debut single "Tim McGraw" the lead single from her self-titled debut album. Swift wrote the song during her freshman year of high school, knowing that she and her senior boyfriend would break up at the end of the year when he ...
Jun 18, 2025
On this day June 19, 1954
"I Don't Hurt Anymore" by Hank Snow began a 20 week run at #1 on the Country Best Seller list. Also on the chart, "One by One" by Red Foley and Kitty Wells began a 21 week run at #2 on same chart, managing a single week at #1 later in the year.
Jun 18, 2025