James Edward Banks is an American politician and naval officer serving since 2025 as the junior United States senator from Indiana. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U.S. representative for Indiana's 3rd congressional district from 2017 to 2025 and an Indiana state senator from 2010 to 2016.
A graduate of Indiana University Bloomington, Banks served on the Whitley County Council before being elected to the State Senate in 2010. During his tenure, he joined the United States Navy and was deployed to Afghanistan. In 2016, Banks was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was reelected in 2018, 2020, and 2022. In 2021, he voted to object to the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. After incumbent U.S. Senator Mike Braun declined to run for reelection, Banks announced he would run in the 2024 election to replace him.
After winning the Republican nomination unopposed, he defeated Democratic nominee Valerie McCray in the general election.
