Ryan Mears, the Democratic prosecutor for Marion County, is favored to win re-election. Republicans, though, think they have an opportunity for an upset if they can introduce their candidate to more voters.
That’s according to recent polling commissioned by the Marion County Republican Party, which asked 1,363 residents, all registered voters, for their thoughts on the prosecutor’s race, public safety and the direction of Indianapolis.
The poll, conducted by national consulting firm Opinion Diagnostics, showed 37% of respondents planned to vote for Mears, while 28% supported his Republican opponent, Philip Foust. The remaining 35% of respondents weren’t sure who they were going to vote for.
About the poll:
- Surveyor: Opinion Diagnostics
- Number of residents surveyed: 1,363
- Dates taken: July 7-13
- Margin of error: 2.7%
- Method of contact: Phone calls and text messages
But when provided with more background information about Foust — a Harvard law graduate who previously served as a deputy prosecutor in Marion County — voters were split on both candidates.
The polling also showed that only 34% of voters believe Indy is moving in the right direction on the issue of public safety.
Foust said the numbers support what he’s hearing from voters on the campaign trail.
“Republicans, Democrats and independents — they’re just fed up with Ryan Mears treating Marion County like an ideological experiment,” Foust told Mirror Indy. “There’s a majority of people who want someone focused on public safety while he runs for mayor next year.”
Mears’ future
Mears has been rumored to be considering a run for mayor. His campaign did not respond to a request for comment. When asked by IndyStar in a recent interview if he was weighing a run for the office in 2027, Mears did not give a straight “yes or no” response.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m weighing it,” Mears said. “Your focus is always on your current job, and as soon as you start thinking about the next job, you’re not gonna do a great job at your current job. I think it’s important that’s where the focus is, and that’s where my focus is going to continue to be.”
Mears, whose office convened a grand jury to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct and unlawful conflicts of interest by Democratic Mayor Joe Hogsett’s former chief of staff, said he sees “the consequences of the city’s failure” to address issues like housing and education.
“When we have conversations about what’s going on in our community, it is frustrating as someone who lives here, who grew up here, who wants what’s best for the city, to see these issues and not see the city maybe take the steps that you think are necessary.”
Wishful thinking?
The polling would seem to indicate that Republicans have a shot at winning their first countywide office here in more than a decade, but this isn’t the first time that Mears may have appeared vulnerable.
Republicans who thought they had a chance to unseat Mears in 2022 were sorely disappointed. They found a well-qualified candidate in Cyndi Carrasco, a former Indiana inspector general who is now a state senator. At the time, she accused Mears of running his office like a “revolving door” for repeat offenders.
The election came after Indianapolis experienced a record year of homicides in 2021, but Mears still won the race by a wide margin.
Mears also has a steep fundraising advantage: He reported $387,000 in his campaign account as of April 15, while Foust has just over $36,000.
“Carrasco and Foust are strong candidates but this is a partisan race and they are the minority party in this jurisdiction,” said Laura Merrifield Wilson, professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis. “Barring an October surprise, Mears maintains an upper hand.”
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him by phone or Signal at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
