WordPress posts page PREVIEW using index.php instead of home.php

So I’m kind of lost here. I have set a static front page, decalring my Home page as the front page, which uses index.php, and I have declared my static posts page as my News & Events page.

Now, whenever I make changes and try to preview my News & Events page, it is using my index.php template instead of my home.php (which I am under the impression is the default template for the static post page).

The weird thing is, whenever I navigate to the News & Events page via the actual website and not the preview, everything is showing up correctly and using the correct home.php template. So, in essence, everything is working the way I would want it to, but the fact that the preview brings me to index.php/my homepage (even though the URL shows I am supposed to be previewing the right page ID), has me concerned.

HERE is my index.php

<?php get_header(); ?>
<?php if ( have_posts() ) : while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
<?php the_content(); ?>
<?php endwhile; else: ?>
<p><?php _e('Sorry, this page does not exist.'); ?></p>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php get_footer(); ?>

HERE is my home.php

<?php get_header(); ?>
<section id="news">
  <div class="row">
    <div class="container">
        <div class="col-md-8">
          <h1 style="margin-bottom:50px">News and Events</h1>

          <?php if ( have_posts() ) : while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
          <h2><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>
          <p><em><?php the_time('l, F jS, Y'); ?></em></p>
          <p>Category: <?php the_category(', ') ?></p>
          <p><?php the_tags(); ?> </p>
          <hr>
          <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
          <?php comments_template() ?>
          <?php endwhile; else: ?>
            <p><?php _e('Sorry, there are no posts.'); ?></p>
          <?php endif; ?>
      </div>
      <div class="col-md-4" style="margin-bottom:50px">
            <?php get_sidebar(); ?>   
      </div>
     </div>
  </div>
</section>

<?php get_footer(); ?>

Thanks in advance for any help!