Bartholomew County voters overwhelmingly voted to keep Republicans representing them at the Indiana statehouse, with two incumbents and a newcomer sweeping to victory Tuesday.
The newcomer was Republican Ryan Lauer, 40, a technical specialist for Cummins, Inc., who found success in his third try for the State Representative District 59 seat. He will replace Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, a six-term lawmaker from Columbus who chose not to seek re-election.
Lauer arrived at the Bartholomew County Republican watch party at about 6:45 p.m. Tuesday with his family and was immediately surrounded with supporters congratulating him on the win.
Lauer defeated Democratic challenger Dale Nowlin, a Columbus North High School math teacher, 57 percent to 41 percent, to take the seat. District 59 encompasses Columbus, Taylorsville and in general, areas west of State Road 7 in western and southern Bartholomew County.
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Lauer said he planned to focus on improving education and making sure children, who he described as Indiana’s most vulnerable citizens, have a voice.
He plans to work for reform in the state’s Department of Child Services and also plans to work on the opioid and methamphetamine epidemic in the state, saying he had traveled all over the district talking to thousands of voters about how drug abuse was affecting families.
“So many grandparents are raising their grandkids,” he said.
His main focus, however, is to make sure every child in Indiana gets a good education, no matter their zip code, income or background.
Nowlin said he was disappointed in the outcome, recognizing the difficulty of running as a Democrat in a Republican-dominated district.
“I didn’t think of myself as a ‘D’ (Democrat) as much as I think of myself as a teacher,” he said. “I refuse to think it’s impossible to win as a Democrat.”
Nowlin said he doesn’t know what the future holds in politics, but today he’s headed to Washington, D.C., to address a national committee about math assessments for 2025.
“Running has been an experience that has changed my life,” Nowlin said. “I can’t talk about it without getting emotional.”
Nowlin said he was especially touched by the time he spent going door to door talking to community residents about the issues affecting them personally.
“The stories I heard, what they wanted to see done, personal things, it has changed my life,” he said. “But now I get to go back to what I love — teaching.”
House District 69
Republican incumbent Jim Lucas, a small business owner from Seymour, will return to his Statehouse seat after handily defeating Democratic newcomer Steve Schoettmer of Elizabethtown, a retired U.S. Postal Service worker and union representative.
Schoettmer had called Lucas to concede early in the evening as it became apparent that the Republican had won a fourth term.
“Steve ran a good race,” Lucas said. “But we’ve got a great message.”
Lucas said his stances on gun rights, industrial hemp and medical cannabis are among the issues that have contributed to national recognition.
Schoettmer was philosophical about the loss, saying he had lost Jennings County by an unexpected margin, and he had planned on winning it. District 69 includes Elizabethtown and other areas of Sand Creek Township in Bartholomew County, along with parts of Jackson, Jennings and Jefferson counties.
He said the numbers showed many voters were selecting the entire Republican ticket, rather than splitting their vote.
Senate District 41
Republic incumbent Greg Walker of Columbus, a senior consultant for Proffer Brainchild Analytics Innovation, easily swept past his Democratic challenger, Ross Thomas, to retain the seat he has held since 2006.
The Senate seat represents northwestern Bartholomew County, including the communities of Columbus, Edinburgh and Clifford, and the eastern half of Johnson County.
Saying he appreciated the support of Bartholomew and Johnson County voters, Walker said he planned to continue to cajole his colleagues in the Senate on steps to improve voter participation in Indiana. He also wants to focus on helping struggling families with the rates charged on payday lending and continue looking at job training and continuing education opportunities for Indiana workers.
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House District 59
Bartholomew County results
Ryan Lauer (R);12,518
Dale Nowlin (D);8,930
Clyde Myers (L);573
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House District 69
Bartholomew County results
Jim Lucas (R):305
Steve Schoettmer (D);138
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Senate District 41
Bartholomew County results
Greg Walker (R);8,478
Ross Thomas (D);5,094
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