The two candidates seeking the Indiana House of Representatives District 59 seat in the Nov. 3 general election have different takes on some of the biggest issues facing Indiana and meet again in this year’s race.
The seat is currently held by Rep. Ryan Lauer, 43, a first-term Republican from Columbus.
Lauer is being challenged by Democrat Dale Nowlin, 66, a former Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. teacher and administrator for 35 years who retired after 22 years as math department chair at Columbus North High School and Northside Middle School.
Lauer defeated Nowlin and Libertarian Clyde D. Myers in 2018, receiving 56.8% of the vote, according to the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office.
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Nowlin received 40.6% of the vote, while Myers received 2.6%.
Q: Do you believe that Indiana’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been appropriate? What, if anything, would you be doing differently about Indiana’s infection rates and the current state of the economy?
Lauer: Our state responded quickly supporting Hoosiers who have had to endure so much. From the start, I worked directly with Gov. Eric Holcomb to secure a testing center for Columbus. I’m grateful we reopened our schools and businesses. Being fiscally responsible by having $2 billion in reserves was essential to keep services open and focus on helping people.
Nowlin: One problem with politics is that we let people define false dichotomies. We have been told we need to choose between controlling COVID-19 and bringing back the economy. The only sound way to open the economy is to control COVID-19. It will require masks and contract tracing. It is being done successfully in Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. and in other countries.
Q: Do you believe that the state legislature should take another look at the funding formula for schools and pay raises for teachers? Why or why not?
Lauer: I supported the largest education funding increase in Indiana history ($763 million new K-12 dollars and $12.7 billion annually.) This historic increase provided flexibility to our local school budgets and 100% of BCSC teachers received raises. The average funding per student increased significantly ($10,384). Our local referendum will also add additional increases. Comprising 63% of the budget, education funding is reviewed regularly.
Nowlin: We are now in our second economic downturn since 2008 when school funding was moved from property tax to the general fund based heavily on sales tax. Schools need a stable source of funding to make multi-year budgets. Per student funding has not kept up with inflation. Lauer’s “education savings accounts” bill would take another $170 million from public education.
Q: Should Indiana revise voting rules to allow no-excuse absentee-by-mail voting during a pandemic? Why or why not?
Lauer: As the virus peaked in late spring, absentee voting set records. As we reopen safely, voting absentee remains an option for any Hoosier that is unable to vote in-person and includes many exceptions. Indiana has a long history of safe and secure elections that have worked well and should continue as is.
Nowlin: Any policies around voting should be driven by two questions: (1) Does it provide secure voting? and (2) Does it encourage increased voter participation? The answer to both of these questions regarding no-excuse mail-in ballot is “YES.” The rules should be changed.
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Political party: Republican
Age: 43
Occupation: Technical Specialist, Cummins Inc.
Previous offices held: Incumbent, Indiana House of Representatives, District 59; Bartholomew County Council, elected in 2010, President in 2014
Education: Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, Indiana University
Community: President of Grace Lutheran Church Council and Congregation, Grace Lutheran church member, Indiana Public Defenders Commission, Sheriff’s Merit Board Member, Community Corrections Advisory Board, Co-founder of "Save Eos," Co-chair of Uncommon Cause, Columbus Philharmonic Violinist, Computer and Data Processing Board, Minds on Math mentor at CSA-Lincoln, Columbus Arts District Retail Committee. Legislative Committees: Family, Children and Human Affairs, Government and Regulatory Reform, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety, and Financial Institutions and Insurance.
Family: Wife Blair, daughters Awyn, Lillian and Sidney and son Isaac
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Political party: Democrat
Age: 66
Previous offices sought: District 59 state representative in 2016 and 2018.
Occupation: BCSC teacher and administrator for 35 years, retired after 22 years as Math Department Chair at Columbus North High School and Northside Middle School. Formerly worked as an adjunct faculty member at Indiana University – Bloomington in the School of Education and formerly adjunct faculty member at IUPUC in mathematics and statistics, Former Indiana Mathematics Initiative District Coordinator
Education: Graduated from Valparaiso High School; bachelor of science degree in mathematics and psychology from Alma College, Michigan, master’s degree in mathematics education from Michigan State University.
Professional honors and associations: Served two terms on the National Assessment Governing Board, a national education council, winner of Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching, Woodrow Wilson Fellow at Princeton University, has served as the president of the Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics, two-time Eli Lilly Teacher Enrichment Grant Awardee, Toyota TIME grant awardee, National Science Foundation Math Science Partnership Grant Awardee, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics member and presenter
Community involvement: Steering Committee member for the Historic Downtown Neighborhood Alliance, serves as elder and chairman of the Adult Education committee at First Presbyterian Church, former member of Columbus’ Downtown Working Group
Family: Wife, Isabel, two sons, Joel Nowlin and Matthew (Sara) Nowlin, and one daughter, Elisabeth (Tim) McNinch and four grandchildren.
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