Republican · Indiana's 8th District · 2026
Mark Messmer
Messmer has coached his children's sports teams, led Cub Scouts and served as a music minister at his Jasper church.
Biography
Mark Messmer and his wife, Kim, raised four children in Jasper, where he has served as a music minister at Holy Family Catholic Church.1 He has coached his children's sports teams and worked as a Cub Scout leader.2 His church responsibilities have also included the parish council and school board.1
An engineer by training, Messmer earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Purdue.3 His business career has included shared ownership of Messmer Mechanical in Jasper.4 His professional involvement has included serving as government affairs chairman for the Evansville chapter of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers.3
Messmer entered the Indiana House in 2008 and moved to the state Senate in 2014.3 His earlier civic work included four years as Dubois County Republican chairman and involvement in Jasper Kiwanis.3 Now the Republican incumbent in Indiana's 8th Congressional District, he serves on the Agriculture, Armed Services, and Education and Workforce committees.5.1
He has promoted the One Big Beautiful Bill's tax changes at a district event.6 In the 2026 Farm Bill debate, he highlighted agricultural research, rural broadband, credit for beginning farmers and protection against foreign adversaries buying American farmland.7 He also supports another attempt to redraw Indiana's congressional map to favor Republicans in all nine districts.5
Record and controversies
Official television advertisement
An August 2026 report said official franking funds paid for a Messmer television commercial featuring his trumpet, a motif also used in his 2024 campaign advertising.8 Such funds may support official constituent communications but cannot pay for campaign advertising; critics, including his Democratic opponent Mary Allen, questioned the commercial's use of public money.8 His office said the House Communications Standards Commission reviewed and approved the advertisement before it aired.8 An independent finding of a rule violation was not verified for this note.