WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski was killed Wednesday in a car crash in her northern Indiana district, along with two members of her congressional staff and another person, police said.
The crash happened around 12:30 p.m. when a car crossed the center line of a state highway and collided head-on with the SUV Walorski was riding in, the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said. Three people in the SUV, including Walorski, 58, were killed, as was a woman driving the other car, authorities said.
Walorski, who served on the House Ways and Means Committee, was first elected to represent Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District in 2012. She previously served six years in the state legislature.
“She returned home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers,” said Tim Cummings, Walorski’s chief of staff.
Valorski and her husband, Dean Swihart, were previously Christian missionaries in Romania, where they founded a foundation that provided food and medical supplies to impoverished children. She worked as a television reporter in South Bend before turning to politics.
Also killed in the crash were Zachery Potts, 27, of Mishawaka, Indiana; Emma Thomson, 28, of Washington, D.C.; and Edith Schmucker, 56, of Nappanee, Ind., according to the sheriff’s office.
Cummings confirmed that Potts and Thomson were members of Walorski’s congressional team. Thomson was Walorski’s communications director while Potts was her district director and Republican chairman for St. Joseph County in northern Indiana.
Schmucker was driving the other car, according to the sheriff’s office. The crash, which happened in a rural area near the town of Wakarusa, is still under investigation.
Walorski was running for re-election this year to a sixth term in the solidly Republican district.
She was active on agriculture and food policy issues in Congress, often working across the aisle on these issues. As co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, she introduced legislation with Democrats to bring back a Nixon-era White House event on food insecurity.
President Joe Biden cited that work in a statement crediting Walorski for years of public service.
“We may have represented different parties and disagreed on many issues, but she was respected by members of both parties for her work,” Biden said. “My team and I appreciated her partnership as we plan a historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health this fall, which will be marked by her deep concern for the needs of rural America.”
U.S. Sen. Todd Young, Republican of Indiana, said he was devastated by Walorski’s death.
“Jackie loved Hoosiers and dedicated her life to fighting for them,” Young said in a statement. “I will never forget her spirit, her positive attitude and most importantly her friendship. All of Indiana is mourning her death, as well as the tragic deaths of her employees Emma Thomson and Zach Potts.
Walorski has been a reliable Republican voice in Congress, including opposing the acceptance of the electoral votes in Arizona and Pennsylvania for Biden after the Capitol riot.
As a member of the Indiana House, Walorski pushed anti-abortion legislation and opposed proposals to expand gambling. She became a darling of the conservative tea party movement.
Valorski lost a close congressional race in 2010 to Democrat Joe Donnelly before narrowly winning the seat in 2012 when Donnelly made a successful bid for the Senate. Since then, she has easily won her re-election campaigns.
House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called Valorsky a “no-nonsense, honest shooter.”
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Walorski “lived a life of service.”
“She passionately brought the voices of her Northern Indiana constituents to Congress and was admired by colleagues on both sides of the aisle for her personal kindness,” Pelosi said in a statement.
Pelosi ordered flags at the U.S. Capitol to be flown at half-staff in Walorski’s honor. The White House said its flags would be taken down Wednesday and Thursday, and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb issued a similar directive for the state flag.
“At every level of public service, Jackie was known as a positive force of nature, a patriot and a steadfast politician with unwavering loyalty to her constituents,” said Holcomb, a Republican.
Democratic Rep. Annie Custer of New Hampshire said she and Walorski bonded as newly elected members of Congress in late 2012 over their husbands’ shared love of jazz music and became friends.
“I was proud to work with her on a variety of critical issues, including legislation to address the addiction crisis, ending sexual violence and helping survivors of military sexual violence access the care they need,” Custer said.
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Davis reported from Indianapolis. Associated Press writer Mary Claire Jalonik contributed from Washington.
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