GOP wins pair of Ind. House seats from Democrats

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Republicans have won two Indiana House seats from Democrats in their bid to strengthen their control of the General Assembly.

Republican Richard Hamm defeated Democratic Rep. Phil Pflum of Richmond and Republican Dale DeVon won an open seat given up by retiring Democratic Rep. Craig Fry of Mishawaka.

In a matchup of two incumbents in southwestern Indiana, Democratic Rep. Kreg Battles of Vincennes held an 89-vote advantage over Republican Rep. Bruce Borders of Jasonville out of nearly 25,000 votes cast in District 45. Unofficial tallies collected by The Associated Press show Battles with 50.2 percent of the vote.

Battles is a chemistry teacher first elected in 2006, while Borders is known for his Elvis Presley impersonations and has been in the House since 2004.