Julie McGill Defeats Liz Brown in Senate Race

Democrat McGill wins State Senate District 15 seat held by Republican Liz Brown for three terms.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Julie McGill Defeats Liz Brown in Senate Race

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Julie McGill won the State Senate District 15 race over incumbent Liz Brown, receiving 21,680 votes to Brown's 20,232, or 51.7% of the vote. The results are final unofficial results from Tuesday's election.

Why it matters

The close result changes which party holds this Indiana state Senate seat, a shift that could affect legislative balance in the state. Democrats also beat Republican challengers in several Allen County local races in the same election.

McGill took 51.7% of the vote, a margin of 1,448 votes over Brown's 20,232. The results remain unofficial, and certification has not been addressed.

The players

Julie McGill

Julie McGill is the Democratic candidate who won the State Senate District 15 race in Indiana.

Liz Brown

Liz Brown is a Republican who served three terms in Indiana's State Senate District 15 seat before losing this race.

The details

Voters cast ballots in the State Senate District 15 race on Tuesday, and McGill came out ahead in a close contest. Brown, who narrowly won the Republican nomination over primary challenger Darren Vogt, conceded and congratulated McGill in a statement Wednesday.

Tuesday, November 3, 2026: State Senate District 15 election held; McGill wins.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: Brown issues a statement congratulating McGill.

Political Context

Brown had held this seat for three terms and narrowly won her party's nomination over Darren Vogt before facing McGill in the general election. The outcome breaks that Republican hold on District 15 and sits alongside Democratic wins in several Allen County local races.

The outcome determines who represents District 15 in the Indiana State Senate, which shapes legislation affecting residents of the district. Voters in the area now have a new state senator in place of Brown.

The takeaway

Close district races can turn on a few thousand votes, so checking official certified results once they are released gives the most reliable picture of who won. Watching how the new senator votes on state issues will show what this change means for the district.