Republican representative Jackie Walorski of Indiana was killed in a car crash on Wednesday, along with two members of her congressional team.
The accident happened at 12:32 p.m. in Elkhart County on roadway S.R. 19 south of S.R. 119 when a northbound passenger car crossed the center line and collided head-on with Walorski’s southbound vehicle, Erica Finke of WSBT News reported. Walorski, Walorski’s district director Zachary Potts, Walorski’s communications director Emma Thomson, and the driver of the other car all died.
A statement from Walorski’s office released after the incident was shared on Twitter by House minority leader Kevin McCarthy. It read: “Dean Swihart, Jackie’s husband, was just informed by the Elkhart County Sheriff’s office that Jackie was killed in a car accident this afternoon. She has returned home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers. We will have no further comment at this time.”
A member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, Walorski advocated for small businesses, manufacturers, and American workers. She was also a ranking member of the House Ethics Committee, where she worked to hold members of the House to high standards of transparency and accountability.
Republican Representative Jim Banks, who called Walorski “my dear friend and one of the greatest public servants I’ve ever known,” offered his condolences to the family and testified to her character and many acts of charity.
“My heart is broken for Dean, the Walorski family, and all who knew and loved my friend Jackie. Jackie was a true public servant — selfless, humble, and compassionate. She was a devout Christian, a passionate advocate for life, and a leader among Hoosier representatives. Everything Jackie did was to serve others,” he said in a statement. He noted that before taking office in Congress, Walorski served in the Indiana statehouse. She had a record of giving back to communities, traveling with her husband to Romania to serve as missionaries and provide impoverished children with food and medical care.
“She had a heart of gold, and I will miss her dearly,” he said.