BYE-BYE, LAIRLAND: Andrew Ireland Gets the Boot — Hoosier Enquirer and the Southside Are Celebrating

Andrew “Lairland” concedes after getting stomped out by the Election.

Indianapolis — The youngest member of the Indiana General Assembly just became the newest member of the unemployment line.

State Rep. Andrew Ireland — the Franklin Township attorney who spent two years posing as the purest conservative in the room while swinging at independent media — conceded defeat in House District 90 to Democrat David Boyd. The margin was razor-thin: Boyd at roughly 51 percent, Ireland at 49, a few hundred votes deciding the fate of the one-term wonder. Ireland posted the usual graceful exit: proud of his record, God is good, Republicans need “new direction.” Translation: the voters noticed.

And yes — the Hoosier Enquirer is celebrating.

This is the same Andrew Ireland who, earlier this year, unloaded on us after we reported on Kalshi prediction-market activity tied to the Secretary of State race. He branded the Hoosier Enquirer a “fake account” run by people who “recently got out of prison for fraud,” mocked a defamation judgment, and threatened to take the matter to court. The classic establishment move: attack the messenger, never address the substance. We stood our ground then. We stand it now. Karma is a Hoosier.

Ireland arrived in 2024 as the bright young conservative — former Deputy Attorney General under Todd Rokita, pro-life, tough on illegal immigration, author of bills hiking penalties for illegal aliens and banning taxpayer-funded obscenity. On paper it looked solid. In practice, the Southside of Marion County decided one term was enough. He is no longer the youngest lawmaker in the building; he is simply out.

Voters in District 90 (Franklin and Perry Townships) spoke. A Republican seat flipped in a cycle where many expected the supermajority to hold. Ireland’s own concession admitted the message was clear. For those of us who watched him try to smear independent reporting while cashing a state paycheck, the message was clearer still.

Hoosier Enquirer called this race early and accurately — the same way we called others while legacy outlets were still hedging. That is what independent media does when the establishment papers are busy protecting their own. Ireland learned the hard way that punching down on a nonprofit that covers the Statehouse does not make the coverage disappear. It just makes the celebration louder when the voters deliver the verdict.

To the residents of the southeast side who showed up: well done. To the rest of the Indiana GOP looking for that “new direction”: maybe stop treating accountability journalism as the enemy. The unemployment line has room. The Statehouse does not need another one-term fighter who only fights the people asking questions.

God is good. So is a clean break.

Hoosier Enquirer will keep reporting what the others won’t. Follow for more.