Indiana: Hammond Mayor Wins Reelection; Portage Mayor Ousted

HAMMOND, Ind. (CBS) -- The dust is settling from the elections Tuesday in Northwest Indiana, and while incumbents prevailed overall, there will also be some new faces.

As WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, in Hammond, the largest city in Northwest Indiana, Mayor Thomas McDermott easily won reelection, defeating Republican George Janiec.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports

Democratic incumbents David Uran and Anthony Copeland also won reelection in Crown Point and East Chicago, respectively.

Republican incumbent Jon Costas also won reelection in Valparaiso, beating independent Bob McCasland.

But in Portage, incumbent Democratic Mayor Olga Velazquez lost to Republican Jim Snyder. She lost by fewer than 250 votes.

History was also made in Gary, where Democrat Karen Freeman-Wilson will become the city's first-ever woman mayor.

Republican challenger Charles Smith came in fourth in the contest, coming in behind independent LaVetta Sparks-Wade and Unicratic Party candidate Eddie Tarver.

In:
• Hammond Indiana
• East Chicago
• Bernie Tafoya
• Indiana
• Crown Point
• Portage