CD7 CANDIDATE DESTINY WELLS SPOTLIGHTS CONGRESSMAN ANDRE CARSON’S CORPORATE PAC TIES AS AES–BLACKROCK REPORTS SURFACE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 17, 2026

Contact: press@wellsforindiana.com

INDIANAPOLIS — Destiny Wells, Candidate for Indiana’s 7th Congressional District, today called on Congressman Andre Carson to publicly address national reporting that BlackRock is in discussions related to acquiring AES, the primary electric utility serving much of Central Indiana.

National reporting over the past week indicates that BlackRock is exploring a potential acquisition of AES. After those reports surfaced, AES stock jumped sharply as investors reacted to the possibility of a deal.

Minnesota recently went through a similar utility sale involving BlackRock. That transaction drew heavy scrutiny from regulators and consumer advocates once the details became public, particularly around how the deal would affect customers and long-term infrastructure decisions.

According to Federal Election Commission filings, Congressman Carson has accepted campaign contributions from the corporate PACs of AES and BlackRock during his last two terms in Congress. 

Wells noted that Congressman Carson is a senior member of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which oversees critical national infrastructure, including energy-related systems.

“Indiana utility rates are set by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission—not by Congress,” Wells stated. “But when a potential acquisition involves a major electric utility and one of the largest global asset managers in the world, that is unquestionably an infrastructure issue.”

“As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Congressman Carson has a responsibility to keep his constituents informed about major infrastructure shifts that could affect grid reliability, capital investment priorities, and long-term energy strategy,” Wells continued.

AES is the electric utility serving a large portion of Central Indiana. If BlackRock were to acquire the company, ownership of that utility would shift to one of the world’s largest asset managers.

Such a change would raise questions about how long-term capital investments are prioritized, how infrastructure planning decisions are made, and how much practical influence Indiana stakeholders retain once ownership transitions.

Given the scale of AES’s footprint in this district, any potential transaction warrants early public transparency and scrutiny.

“In Minnesota, regulators and consumer advocates were left responding once the framework of the deal was already advancing,” Wells said. “Hoosiers deserve transparency before decisions are locked in.”

Wells stated that while state regulators ultimately review changes in control of regulated utilities, members of Congress have a responsibility to provide transparency and public scrutiny when major infrastructure consolidation is under discussion.

“As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Congressman Carson is positioned to demand clarity and keep Hoosiers informed,” Wells said. “When corporate PAC checks are accepted quietly while acquisition talks intensify, constituents are right to ask questions.”

Wells reiterated that she will not accept corporate PAC money.

“I have pledged to take no corporate PAC money—from utilities, Wall Street firms, or asset managers,” Wells said. “Leadership means independence. It means informing the public. It means facing major infrastructure decisions head on—not after the fact.”

“Energy is infrastructure. And infrastructure decisions should never happen in the dark,” Wells concluded.

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Note to press: High-resolution headshot available here.

Destiny Wells is a candidate for Indiana’s 7th Congressional District. She is an attorney, U.S. Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, and combat veteran with more than two decades of service at the local, state, federal, and multinational levels.

Wells previously served as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of Indiana and as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Indianapolis. She grew up in a blue-collar Indiana family, built her career in public service, and is raising her children in Center Township.

She is running for Congress because she believes working families deserve representation that is independent, reform-minded, and accountable — not financed by corporate PACs or written by special interests. Wells has pledged to accept no corporate PAC money and to prioritize transparency, consumer protection, and national security in Congress.