Houchin Drops Seat For Congressional Race, One Of Six Retiring From Senate
- By Isaac Gleitz, TheStatehouseFile.com
- Updated
INDIANAPOLIS—While Senators hang on for decades in some cases, the Senate is a stepping stone for others.
Sen. Erin Houchin, R-Salem, has retired effective Feb. 4 and will be pursuing Congressman Trey Hollingsworth’s District 9 seat after his announcement that he will not seek reelection. She will be replaced by Gary Byrne, whom Republican officials in her Senate district chose to complete her term.
Hollingsworth has decided not to run for reelection after serving three terms. If elected, Houchin will be one of a handful that has transitioned recently from the Senate to Congress. Jim Banks and Victoria Spartz are two examples.
Houchin is one of six senators to be recognized upon announcing their retirements in Senate sessions this year. She was preceded by Sen. Phil Boots, R-Crawfordsville, Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, and Sen. Ron Grooms, R-Jeffersonville. Sen. Frank Mrvan, D-Hammond, and Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, will be recognized next week.
In Thursday’s Senate session, Sen. Chip Perfect, R-Lawrenceburg, said Houchin is a talented politician, and Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis agreed.
“I would love to see her use those mad skills in Congress,†Taylor said.
Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, congratulated her on her run for Congress. He said he appreciated her thoughtful questions in committee meetings that made everyone question whether any given bill was a good idea.
“You were peeling back the onion to get to the core of the issue,†Ford said.
He also appreciated her kindness when she recently cheered him up after having a bad day. She told him to have tough skin because this place can be harsh for anyone.
Sen. Andy Zay, R-Pierceton, said she has been a great resource for addressing Indiana’s opioid crisis. Other senators said she has been influential in legislationto help dyslexic kids learn.
Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, said she has appreciated having her as a female colleague because women have a different perspective to bring to the table.
Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, pointed out the fact that she comes from humble beginnings. As a fellow Scott County native, he said he remembers when she worked at the Scottsburg city pool when she was young and recalls that she grew up on a modest farm. He said she’s an example of someone who has built a name for herself.
“Anyone can go to Congress. It doesn’t matter what your origin is. Hard work and dedication pays,†Garten said.
In her closing speech, Houchin tried not to cry. She thanked her friends and coworkers.
“I can’t do it alone. It takes at least 26 of us. And many times, we had all 50 of us,†Houchin said.
FOOTNOTE: M Isaac Gleitz is a reporter with TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
