Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita is all but guaranteed to join next year’s freshman class after winning a 13-candidate Republican primary.

The 4th district is so staunchly Republican that Rokita is not expected to have any trouble dispatching David Sanders (D), a Purdue University biology professor, and succeeding retiring nine-term Rep. Steve Buyer (R).

Rokita won 42 percent of the vote Tuesday, far outpacing his closest competitor, state Sen. Brandt Hershman, who pulled 17 percent.