GOP Candidate Sues Incumbent, Seeks Special Election After Primary Loss in Bartholomew County
In Bartholomew County, Indiana, a Republican candidate for County Council District 2, Mark Bense, is suing incumbent Leah Beyer for defamation and has filed a petition for a special election. Bense lost the primary to Beyer by seven votes and…
Indianapolis, IN, August 8, 2026 —
Mark Bense, a Republican candidate for Bartholomew County Council District 2, has initiated legal action against incumbent Leah Beyer following his narrow loss in the primary election. Bense is suing Beyer for defamation and has also filed a petition requesting a special election.
Bense lost the Republican primary to Beyer by a margin of seven votes. He alleges that there were unsubstantiated claims of a coordinated effort to prevent his victory. The basis for the defamation lawsuit is an anonymous Facebook comment. Bense claims this comment was posted by Beyer’s husband and has since damaged his reputation.
Leah Beyer, who is represented by legal counsel, has responded to Bense’s petition for a special election by filing a motion to dismiss. Beyer’s legal team argues that the petition was improperly filed.
Bense is reportedly representing himself in both the defamation lawsuit and the petition for a special election.
The specific details regarding the content of the alleged defamatory Facebook comment and the nature of the coordinated effort claims were not provided. Similarly, the current status of the defamation lawsuit and the motion to dismiss the special election petition were not detailed in the available information.
Story summarized from the original created by Tim Spears on www.wrtv.com, see more information here.
