Mr. Kerns and Mr. Buyer do not have to run against each other. More of Mr. Buyer's current constituents live in the new Second District, an open seat to the north. And Mr. Kerns's home is now in the Eighth District, where some Indiana Democrats hoped he would challenge the incumbent Republican, Representative John Hostettler. One reason both incumbents covet the new Fourth is that the district is so heavily Republican that whoever wins the primary will be the overwhelming favorite in the general election and could well hang on to the seat at least until the next redistricting in a decade. The primary winner's success in a general election in the nearby districts would not be so assured.
Democrats are gleeful.
Voters are already conflicted by the specter of dueling incumbents. Drawing Partisan Lines Indiana's population grew by less than 10 percent in the last decade. When census figures were released in December the state learned that it would forfeit a Congressional seat because other states grew more. Seven states picked up seats, including Florida, Georgia and Texas, which gained two each. Nine other states lost seats, including New York and Pennsylvania, which lost two each.