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In a hotly contested battle for a House seat, Indiana Republican incumbent Jim Banks is accusing his Democratic challenger, J.R. Holcomb, of abandoning his constituents to pursue a bid for higher office.

"He's trying to run away from his record," Banks said in an interview with Fox News. "He's not fighting for Hoosiers; he's fighting for himself."

Holcomb, who is currently the mayor of Fort Wayne, has defended his decision to run for Congress, saying that he wants to bring his experience to Washington and fight for the people of Indiana's 3rd Congressional District.

"I'm running for Congress because I want to make a difference in the lives of Hoosiers," Holcomb said in a statement. "I'm a strong leader with a proven track record of success, and I'm ready to fight for Indiana's values in Washington."

Banks and Holcomb are vying to replace retiring Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski, who died in a car accident in August 2022.

The race is expected to be highly competitive, with both candidates well-funded and well-known in the district.

According to the latest campaign finance reports, Banks has raised over $2.8 million, while Holcomb has raised over $1.5 million.

Banks has also received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, while Holcomb has the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

The race is one of several closely watched House contests in Indiana this year.

Republicans currently hold six of the state's nine House seats, but Democrats are hoping to win back some of those seats in November.

Banks and Holcomb will face off in the Republican and Democratic primaries, respectively, on May 2, 2023. The general election will be held on November 7, 2023.

In other news from the campaign trail:

- Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp easily defeated former Sen. David Perdue in Tuesday's primary runoff election. Kemp will now face Democrat Stacey Abrams in the November general election.

- Pennsylvania Republican Mehmet Oz and Democrat John Fetterman will face off in the state's closely watched Senate race in November. Oz won the Republican primary on Tuesday, while Fetterman won the Democratic primary in May.

- New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan will face Republican challenger Kevin Smith in the November general election. Hassan won the Democratic primary on Tuesday, while Smith won the Republican primary in September.