John Nathan Hostettler (born June 19, 1961) is an American engineer and Republican politician from the Evansville area who represented Indiana’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2007.

Early Life

Hostettler was born in Evansville, Indiana, and grew up in rural Posey County. He graduated from North Posey High School in 1979 and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 1983.

Before entering politics, Hostettler worked as a power plant performance engineer for Southern Indiana Gas & Electric Company (SIGECO) in Evansville.

U.S. House of Representatives

Hostettler entered politics in 1994, defeating six-term Democratic Congressman Frank McCloskey to represent Indiana’s 8th District.

He became known for his conservative voting record, grassroots campaigns and his refusal to accept political action committee (PAC) contributions during much of his congressional career. His campaign volunteers became locally known as the “Red Army” because of the red Hostettler campaign shirts they wore at parades and political events.

Hostettler won six consecutive elections. His opponents included future Evansville mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel in 1996 and Evansville City Councilwoman Gail Riecken in 1998.

In 2006, Hostettler was defeated by Vanderburgh County Sheriff Brad Ellsworth, ending his 12 years in Congress.

Later Political Career

Hostettler sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2010 but lost the primary to former Senator Dan Coats.

In 2024, following Congressman Larry Bucshon’s decision to retire, Hostettler attempted a return to Congress by running again for Indiana’s 8th District seat. He finished second in the Republican primary with approximately 19.6% of the vote, behind eventual winner Mark Messmer.

Hostettler remains notable in Evansville-area political history for representing southwestern Indiana in Congress for six terms.