All three candidates running in the May 7, 2024, Republican primary election for Indiana’s 1st Congressional District — Mark Leyva (R), Randell Niemeyer (R), and David Ben Ruiz (R) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.
Here are the candidates’ responses to the question: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Leyva:
“I am a Constitutional Conservative Republican that has been preparing more than half my life to represent Indiana’s 1st District in Washington. I have been running in the past to build up name recognition, I need to raise money to be a much more viable candidate and hope to do it this time. I am the Republican’s highest vote getter in IN district 1 with 132,000 votes in 2020 election. It is time to get a Constitutionalist Conservative in Washington to help save our Country, protecting our borders, Veterans and putting America First.”
Niemeyer:
“Born in Lowell and raised in Cedar Lake, Randy Niemeyer’s spent his entire life here in Northwest Indiana. … Randy and his brother Rich are the fourth generation of his family to haul milk as the owners of Niemeyer Milk Transfer, Inc. A graduate of Hanover Central High School … he saw the importance of public service through his grandfather, who served on the first Board for the Hanover Community Schools and his grandmother who spent thirty-five years working in their cafeterias. … Randy attended Indiana State University, while getting his CDL at the age of 18 and going to work for the family business. Randy learned quickly that trucking isn’t easy work, but it’s part of the backbone of our society. To date, Randy has logged over 3 million miles behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler in his 28 years of trucking. We’ve been able to trust Randy to bring balanced and common-sense leadership to our community. With his blue-collar roots, Randy is ready to go to Washington and fight for the working people of IN-01.”
Ruiz:
“I am married with five beautiful children who are home schooled and a small business owner operating out of NWI who knows the economic effects and hardships brought on by the current Biden Administrations policies that are affecting everyday American families with the highest inflation in recent history. I have been a lifelong conservative republican voter and someone who leads by example … I am someone who is appalled by the failures of those currently in positions of power and have failed to keep their promises to the people of Northwest Indiana and the entire country. I am a proud supporter of President Trump and his successful policies and promises that helped Make America Great Again that benefited every American with economic stability and strength to thrive, by reigning in foreign trade and making Europe pay their fair share for security. As your candidate for Congress I promise to turn things around and make Hoosier lives better again by tackling infrastructure and employment growth while protecting our children’s future.”
Click on the candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.
We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.
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