Leaving office January 1, 2027.Did not run for re-election in 2026. This page switches to the former-officeholder layout when the term ends.

DemocratIn office until January 1, 2027

J. D. Ford

Indiana State Senator, District 29 since 2018. Did not run for re-election in 2026; leaves office in January 2027. Ran in 4 elections between 2014 and 2022, winning 3. Won the 2026 race for Indiana's 5th District.

Indiana State Senator, District 29Born 1982

Official website Wikipedia FEC filings

In office: 7 yrs; Since 2018
Bills became law: 4; 58 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed: 20.3%; Chamber median 2.2%
With party: 96%; On votes splitting the parties
Last margin: +3.3; Won 2026
Elections: 5; 2014–2026

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 11:01 PM ET

Committees

As of 2026-10.

Education and Career Development · ranking democratic member
Elections · ranking democratic member
Family and Children Services · ranking democratic member
Artificial Intelligence Task Force
Child Services Interim Study
Commerce and Economic Development Interim Study
Commerce and Technology
Education Interim Study
Elections Interim Study
Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Interim Study
Financial Institutions and Insurance Interim Study
Health and Provider Services
Homeland Security and Transportation
Public Health, Behavioral Health and Human Services Interim Study
Roads and Transportation Interim Study
Utilities
Veterans Affairs and The Military

Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 58 sponsored · 4 became law

BillIntroCmteSenateHouseLaw

HB 1325 Special education.
AGENCIES; Department of Child Services (DCS) · Became law Feb 2026

HB 1307 Department of child services ombudsman.
AGENCIES; Department of Child Services (DCS) · Became law Feb 2026

Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Ford sits in the Indiana State Senate

Ford is closer to the center than 40% of the chamber's Democrats.

Closest: Fady Qaddoura, Mark Spencer, Greg Taylor

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:50 PM ET

With Ford’s party

Votes with the chamber's Democrats96%
Cosponsorships of the other party's bills82%

Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Indiana State Senate.

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Ford’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.

Date	Bill	Ford	Dem. majority	Rep. majority	Result
Feb 27, 2026	HB 1266: Department of education and education matters.	No	No	Yes	Passed 28–19
Feb 26, 2026	SB 285: Housing matters.	No	No	Yes	Passed 28–22
Feb 26, 2026	SB 27: Stadium authority.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Passed 45–4
Feb 25, 2026	SB 277: Indiana department of environmental management.	No	No	Yes	Passed 26–21
Feb 24, 2026	HB 1004: Various education matters.	No	No	Yes	Passed 28–20

Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls

Career

Offices held, and every time Ford was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.

201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025202620272028Indiana State Senate, District 29

Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

Elections

Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.

Year	Race	Result	Margin	Seat	+/−
2026	U.S. House, IN-5	Won	D+3.3	R+17.1	+20.4
2022	Indiana State Senate, District 29	Won	D+3.4	D+18.0	−14.6
2018	Indiana State Senate, District 29	Won	D+13.4	—	—
2014	Indiana State Senate, District 29	Lost	R+8.6	—	—
2014	Indiana State Senate, District 29 (primary)	Won	—	—	—