John Rust seeks to be on the Republican primary ballot for U.S. Senate in 2024. The Jackson County Republican Party Chair, Amanda Lowery, declined to certify Rust as a Republican because of his voting record. Rust sued the Indiana Secretary of State, the Indiana Election Commission, and Lowery, alleging that the “Affiliation Statute,” Indiana Code section 3-8-2-7(a)(4), is unconstitutional. The Marion Superior Court issued an order concluding the Affiliation Statute violates Rust’s rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The Secretary of State sought direct appeal under Appellate Rule 4(A)(1)(b), which gives this Court mandatory and exclusive jurisdiction over appeals of final judgments that declare a state statute unconstitutional.