WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski was killed Wednesday in a car crash in northern Indiana along with two members of her congressional staff and another person, police said.
The accident happened at about 12:30 p.m.  when a car crossed the center line on a state highway and collided head-on with the SUV Walorski was riding in, the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said.  Three people in the SUV, including Walorski, 58, were killed, as was a woman driving the other car, authorities said.
Walorski, who served on the House Ways and Means Committee, was first elected to represent Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District in 2012. She previously served six years in the state legislature.
“She returned home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers,” said Walorski’s chief of staff, Tim Cummings.
Walorski and her husband, Dean Swihart, were previously Christian missionaries in Romania, where they founded a foundation that provided food and medical supplies to poor children.  He worked as a television news reporter in South Bend before turning to politics.
Also killed in the crash was Zachery Potts, 27, of Mishawaka, Indiana.  Emma Thomson, 28, of Washington, DC;  and Edith Schmucker, 56, of Nappanee, Indiana, according to the sheriff’s office.
Cummings confirmed that Potts and Thompson were members of Walorski’s congressional staff.  Thompson was Walorski’s director of communications, while Potts was her regional director and the Republican chairman for St. Louis County.  Joseph of northern Indiana.
Schmucker was driving the other car, according to the sheriff’s office.  The crash, which occurred in a rural area near the town of Wakarusa, is still under investigation.
Walorski was seeking re-election this year to a sixth term in the staunchly Republican district.
She was active in agriculture and food policy in Congress, often working at all levels on these issues.  Co-chairman of the House Hunger Caucus, he introduced legislation with Democrats to bring back a Nixon-era White House event on food insecurity.
President Joe Biden highlighted that work in a statement crediting Walorski for years of public service.
“We may have represented different parties and disagreed on many issues, but she was respected by members of both parties for her work,” Biden said.  “My team and I appreciated her collaboration as we plan for a historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health this fall that will be marked by her deep concern for the needs of rural America.”
Indiana Republican Sen. Todd Young said he was devastated by Walorski’s death.
“Jackie loved Hoosiers and dedicated her life to fighting for them,” Young said in a statement.  “I will never forget her spirit, her positive attitude and most of all her friendship.  All of Indiana mourns her death, along with the tragic deaths of her staff Emma Thompson and Zach Potts.”
Walorski has been a reliable Republican vote in Congress, including against accepting the Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes for Biden after the Capitol revolt.
As a member of the Indiana House, Walorski pushed anti-abortion legislation that opposed gambling expansion proposals.  She became a darling of the conservative tea party movement.
Walorski lost a close congressional race in 2010 to Democrat Joe Donnelly before narrowly winning the seat in 2012 as Donnelly made a successful Senate run.  She had easily won her re-election campaigns since then.
House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called Walorski a “no-nonsense, straight shooter.”
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Walorski “lived a lifetime of service.”
“She passionately brought the voices of her northern Indiana constituents to Congress and was admired by colleagues on both sides of the aisle for her personal kindness,” Pelosi said in a statement.
Pelosi ordered flags at the US Capitol to be flown at half-staff in Walorski’s honor.  The White House said its flags would be lowered Wednesday and Thursday, and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb issued a similar flag directive for the state.
“At every level of public service Jackie was known to be a positive force of nature, a patriot and a relentless policy maker with unwavering loyalty to her constituents,” said Holcomb, a Republican.
Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire said she and Walorski connected as newly elected members of Congress in late 2012 over their husbands’ shared love of jazz music and became friends.
“I was proud to work with her on a number of critical issues, including legislation to address the addiction crisis, ending sexual violence and helping military survivors of sexual assault access the care they need,” Kuster said.
Davis reported from Indianapolis.  Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonic contributed from Washington.