Indiana Rep. Jackie Walorski Killed in Car Accident

Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorski and two staffers were killed in a car accident Wednesday.

Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorski and two staffers were killed in a car accident Wednesday near Nappanee, Indiana.

The Indiana Republican, 58, was traveling with Emma Thomson, 28, her communications director and Zachery Potts, 27, her district director, when a car crossed the center lane and collided with their vehicle.
“A northbound passenger car traveled left of center and collided head-on” with Rep. Walorski’s vehicle, the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said.
Edith Schmucker, 56, of Nappanee was the sole occupant of the other vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
Rep. Walorski has served in Congress since 2013 and was the Ranking Member of the House Ethics Committee.
Before Congress, she served as a state representative, worked as a television reporter, and established a medical foundation providing food and medical care for children in poverty while she and her husband were missionaries in Romania.

The New York Times covered the statement from Ms. Walorski’s husband, Dean Swihart. “She has returned home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” the statement said. “Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.”
The Washington Post reported Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered the U.S. Capitol flags to fly at half-staff. Speaker Pelosi said in a statement, “She passionately brought the voices of her north Indiana constituents to the Congress, and she was admired by colleagues on both sides of the aisle for her personal kindness.”
CNN noted, “The congresswoman was viewed inside the House Republican conference as someone who could one day ascend to the ranks of GOP leadership, and her name had been batted around for the position of conference chairwoman in the past.”

FOX News collected the reactions to Walorski’s death from Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Fellow Indiana Rep. Jim Banks said she “had a heart of gold” and called Walorski “one of the greatest public servants I’ve ever known.”
National Review noted the Congresswoman was a longtime advocate for small businesses, manufacturers and American workers and was a leader on worker and family support policies as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
The Wall Street Journal reported the White House would fly the flags at half-mast Wednesday and Thursday in honor of Congresswoman Walorski.

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