O'Brien Holds Indiana House Seat by 58 Votes
Republican Tim O'Brien retained House District 78 over Democrat Sally Busby, who conceded in a Facebook statement.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Tim O'Brien retained Indiana House District 78 over challenger Sally Busby, leading by 58 votes. Busby conceded the race in a statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday morning.
Why it matters
The narrow margin in a race forecasters had rated Likely Republican shows the district remained competitive for Indiana voters. Two years ago the incumbent faced no opponent at all, making this contest a notable shift.
The unofficial tally gave O'Brien a 58-vote margin, with Busby winning Vanderburgh County 9,078 to 8,958 and O'Brien winning Warrick County 1,807 to 1,629. Forecasters had given Busby roughly a one-in-six chance, and the source does not say whether the results have been certified.
The players
Tim O'Brien
Tim O'Brien is the Republican incumbent who has represented Indiana House District 78 and was declared the winner of the race.
Sally Busby
Sally Busby is the Democratic challenger who ran against O'Brien in District 78 and conceded the race after the vote count.
The details
Voters in Warrick and Vanderburgh counties cast ballots in the race on Tuesday, November 3. Busby acknowledged the result in a statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday morning.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Voters in Warrick and Vanderburgh counties cast ballots in District 78.
Wednesday morning, November 4, 2026: Busby posted her concession statement on Facebook.
Election Context
Two years ago no candidate ran against the incumbent in District 78, so this contest marks a departure from that uncontested race. The challenger's campaign pushed the margin to a narrow 58 votes in a district forecasters had rated Likely Republican.
The result determines which candidate represents District 78 in the Indiana House for the next term. Voters in the district will be represented by O'Brien unless the official certified count changes the outcome.
The takeaway
A race that was once uncontested drew a close margin, showing that even reliably Republican districts in Indiana can produce competitive results. Voters following state legislative races should watch for certified totals before drawing final conclusions.
Further reading
For more on how state legislative contests are decided, see Indiana Elections.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WTVW 7 Evansville.
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