Indiana Sen. Ron Alting Resigns After Shoplifting Allegations, Citing Cognitive Health Evaluation
After 28 years in the Indiana Senate, Republican Ron Alting said he will resign amid shoplifting investigations at Walmart stores in Indiana and Florida while he undergoes medical evaluation for changes in judgment and cognitive function. His name remains on the ballot, and a GOP caucus would choose his successor if he is reelected.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Indiana State Sen. Ron Alting, the most senior member of the state Senate, announced Wednesday that he is resigning after 28 years in office, amid investigations into several Walmart shoplifting incidents and as he undergoes medical testing for what he called concerning changes in his judgment, behavior and cognitive functioning.
Alting, a 70-year-old Republican from Lafayette, said in a Wednesday afternoon Facebook post that he had informed Senate President Pro Tem Rod Bray of his decision. He said the evaluation in recent weeks has involved specialists in neurology, geriatrics and mental health, as well as an MRI and other testing, and that doctors are still working toward a definitive diagnosis.
“I did things that were wrong and completely out of character for me. I take responsibility for my actions. I am deeply sorry,” Alting wrote, adding that he needed to end his time in public office to devote his attention to his health and his family.
The resignation follows investigations into shoplifting allegations at Walmart stores in Lafayette and Monticello, Indiana, and in Naples, Florida, according to the Journal & Courier. Six Lafayette-area theft cases are under review by special prosecutor Vicki Becker of Elkhart County, and a Monticello incident dates to Oct. 1. Court records show Alting had not been charged in the Indiana incidents as of Wednesday afternoon.
Name stays on the ballot; party would pick a successor
Because voting in the 2026 election is already underway, Alting’s name will remain on the ballot against Democrat Natasha Baker. If he is elected, a caucus of Republican precinct committeemen from Senate District 22 would choose his replacement, a process a Senate Republicans spokesperson confirmed to the Indianapolis Star.
Alting was first elected to the Senate in 1998 after three years on the Lafayette City Council, and has chaired the Senate Committee on Public Policy since 2011. He stepped back from campaigning earlier this month, the Indiana Capital Chronicle reported.
Colleagues reacted with sympathy. Sen. Spencer Deery, a Republican, said Alting had made “the right decision” and applauded his courage. Tippecanoe County GOP chairman Tracy Brown said he was shocked: “That’s not the Ronald Alting I’ve known for a number of years.”
Finance records show Alting’s campaign account held $253,498.73 as of an Oct. 16 report. Julia Vaughn of Common Cause Indiana told the Journal & Courier that Indiana law lets candidates disperse remaining funds to other candidates or nonprofits, with no timeline and weak enforcement. The Capital Chronicle noted the resignation could protect Republican control of the seat, where Baker has gained momentum.
Reporting based on coverage by the Journal & Courier and the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
